New Modern Love
by Canvas.Falling
Summary: When Rinoa turned seventeen, her world was turned upside down when her father and mother divorced and she was moved from the fast paced Deling City to a small town by the sea called Balamb. There, her mother opened a small Cafe in an attempt to earn some income for the two. It was through her mother's work she met Squall Leonhart, an boy with more than his share of scars.
1. Rinoa: Just A Girl

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or any of the characters. If I did, well, it would have had a sequel, and HD Remaster and a movie. Because Squall is amazing and the best Final Fantasy Protagonist in existence. The cover I am using for this story is NOT made by me, it is also not an official image. It was made by_ _ **Kimika.**_

* * *

 _Beep beep_

I could hear my alarm going off and I groaned, rolling over and feeling around for it. I managed to hit it and it fell onto the ground, looking over the edge of my bed I sighed. "Oops." I moved and slowly made my way out of bed. I opened my phone and started the music, listening as it came through the bluetooth speaker on the other side of my room. I gathered my clothing for the day, taking longer than normal. It was saturday, so it wasn't like I had school or anything. Finally I decided on a pair of jeans and a soft blue turtleneck. It was getting colder in Balamb, it would be snowing soon.

School had started back in September and I was happy to go back and finish my final year. I had a few classes with all of my friends. Personally, I found most of the classes boring, but at least there was people there that I know would make it more interesting. But I supposed I should stop talking about that and introduce myself.

My name is Rinoa Heartilly, I'm sixteen years old, turning seventeen this weekend and I was born and raised in Deling City. That was, up until six months ago when my mother, Julia Heartilly and my father, James Caraway got divorced. Then my mom wanted to move to Balamb, a small sea town and open a cafe. Which had always been her dream since she started singing. Since I am closer to my mother than my father, I decided live with her.

It hasn't been that hard. I made friends rather quickly, despite being the new girl. Quistis is probably one of my best friends. She's an amazing person and she's so pretty. Her boyfriend, Seifer is pretty cool too. He's a little bit of a hothead, but once you get use to that and his humor, then he's actually someone you could rely on. He and Quistis make a cute little blonde couple.

Then there is Zell, I think most of the students think that he is on drugs or something. He's hyper and never runs out of energy. I swear to god, he's secretly the energizer bunny or something. I keep trying to find the off switch, but I can't seem to find it!

Finally, there is Selphie and Irvine. They are a couple too, Irvine is a bit of a playboy. He's always flirting, which makes Selphie so mad. But he's never actually cheated on her, actually, I don't even think that he realizes that he is flirting most of the time. I think it's ingrained into his DNA or something. Selphie on the other hand, well she's a little bit like Zell in the sense that she has a lot of energy. She's always so happy and positive that it's impossible not to smile around her. There you have it! My life, pretty much in a nutshell.

As I stepped into my bathroom I could hear my mother walking by. She knew I was awake since the music was on. I never turned it up loudly. Just loud enough for me to hear it in the shower. It was really nice of my mom to give me the master bedroom when we moved. I think she felt bad because my room in Deling was huge and this one, although bigger than all the other rooms of the house, was significantly smaller. She even offered to have one of the walls knocked out to make it bigger! I knew secretly, that she couldn't afford it. She would have had to ask my father for the money. And I wasn't _that_ spoiled. So I told her it wasn't a problem.

Even though, I'm a girl, my shower only took about twenty minutes. I'm not one to take too long. I got out and got dressed. It took another half hour to straighten my hair and put on my makeup. Once I was finished I checked myself out in the mirror before turning off the music and heading downstairs to the kitchen. I still hadn't quite woken up and my body was screaming for caffeine.

As I headed down the stairs and into the kitchen I could spot my mother, who was smiling at me. "Morning momma." I said happily as I went to the cupboard and grabbed my favorite coffee mug, pouring some of the hot liquid and fixing it to my liking, taking a sip. I could feel myself waking up already.

"You are awake early honey." My mother said to me, as if she was surprised. Which I guess I did wake up much earlier than I normally did on the weekends. It was only about nine in the morning. Usually on saturdays I wouldn't be awake before noon.

"I'm going shopping with Selphie and Quistis for the dance." She said. "I need to buy a dress." I told her.

"Oh, well, let me give you some money." She said as she went to her purse.

"Mom.." I stopped her. "Dad put some of my debit card. I have money to cover my dress. Don't worry about it." I felt like she was trying to make sure that I had the lifestyle I was use to. The one I had when she was married to my father. Probably in an attempt to make sure that I didn't take the divorce too hard.

My mother simply smiled at me, as she always did. "Okay honey, I'll be at the cafe all day, so why don't you and the girls come by after shopping and have some lunch?" She asked. Of course, that brought a smile to my face and I nodded. "Okay mom! We would love that!" I told her happily. Quistis and Selphie really did love my moms food. I took a sip of my coffee as my mother came to sit next to me. I looked over at her with a smile.

My mother and I had always been so close. She was my best friend, I know there is that saying that girls are always closer with their fathers. But because of my father's career, he never had time to spend with me. So, I had been closer with my mother because she was the one that spent time with me. Even through all of that thought, I didn't hate my father. I don't think I ever could.

"How are you liking Balamb, Rin?" My mother asked me and I was brought back to reality.

"It's really great!" I told her, sighing. "I mean, it's smaller than Deling City and not quite as fast paced, but I really do love it."

"At least you made friends, I was scared you wouldn't." That was my mother for you, a worrisome person. She was always concerned about little things like that. Then again, I hadn't thought I would make friends as quick as I did, but that is one thing about Selphie. When that woman decides that she want's to be your friend, there isn't a hell of a lot you can do about it. So, Selphie decided that she wanted to be friends with me, and I pretty much _had no choice_ in the matter. But I loved her, she was such a happy person.

"So what time are you going to meet the girls?" She asked again, which once again brought me out of my thoughts. I looked down at my watch as I took a sip of my drink.

"Selphie isn't even up yet." I laughed. "Plus, I'm waiting on Seifer." I added.

"Seifer?" My mom asked. My mom had been pretty apprehensive of Seifer when they had first met a few years ago, mostly because of the scar across his face. It was funny, my mom actually thought Seifer was some kind of delinquent. Seifer explained that the scar had happened with his childhood best friend. The two were in a car with the boys parents and there was a car accident. My mom seemed to relax after that.

"Yeah, he need's a copy of my notes. He was out sick on Friday." I explained. "The boys are avoiding shopping like the plague, So, if I don't get them to him today then he's going to fail the test on monday. I told him I would make a copy." Which I had done on my printer as soon as I got home, I didn't want to forget.

"Well, he should be happy to have you." She said with a soft smile.

"Well, Quistis would have given him her notes, but he can't read her handwriting." I explained to her. "Quisitis writes in cursive, and since Seifer's first language is Estharian, he can't read it very well." I sipped my coffee.

There was a knock on the door and I smiled. "There he is." I stood up from my stool, as I walked out into the living room toward the front door I heard my mom shout at me and I yelled back an affirmative. I leaned forward and opened the door. Seifer was standing there. "Hey Seif." I said happily and gave him a hug.

"I stopped by on my way home from Quistis', You have those notes for me?" He asked as he returned my hug. I nodded and stood to the side so that he could come in.

"I take it you're feeling better." I said to him. "You _sound_ better, when you called me on Friday you sounded like you were on death's door." I told him as I shut the door behind him.

"Yeah, it was a twenty four hour thing, but it was nasty." The blonde told me as I walked over to my books and stuff. I pulled out a few sheets of paper and handed them to him. He took them with a smile.

"I put a star next to the things you _really_ need to study. It will be on the test monday." I told him.

"You are a lifesaver Rin."

"You're welcome!" I told him happily. "Come on! My mom said stay for breakfast." I took him by the hand, something I did quite often, and led him to the kitchen. Me and Seifer were closer than I was with everyone else. I had known him before I moved to Balamb. His father and mother were Cid and Edea Kramer: The couple had had dinner with my parents many times. So when I moved to Balamb, Seifer was the first one I saw at school and I was really happy to see him.

"Good morning Seifer!" My mother greeted happily as she put a plate of eggs in front of us both.

"Good morning, Ms. Heartilly." He said politely as my mother also placed a cup of juice and coffee in front of him.

"How is your dear mother?" She asked him. I just observed the conversation as I ate. My mother and Seifer's were really close, Since before I was even born. Seifer had been adopted as a toddler because Edea couldn't have children of her own.

"She's doing great. I told her you had moved to Balamb. I think she wants to get together." He said as he ate.

"Oh! Please, make sure to leave your home number so I can give her a call!" I was happy to hear my mother say that. She needed to make some friends here in Balamb. I hated that my mother always seemed so lonely and unhappy.

"Will do, Thank you for the breakfast Ms. Heartilly." He said as he took a sip of his juice. "Hey Rin, Quis told me the girls are going shopping today. For homecoming dresses?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Try to push Quist toward something red, she looks phenomenal in red." He said, winking at me and I smiled, laughing a little.

"I'll see what I can do." I told him.

He finished his food and drinks and brought the dishes to the sink. Where my mother took them from him with a soft thank you. Seifer came over next to me and gave me a hug and a peck on the cheek. "I gotta go." He said. "An old friend is back in town and I said I would stop by and see him." He explained to me, I nodded. "Thanks again for the notes Rin! With your help, I'll ace the test." He picked up his papers and left the room. A Few seconds after, I heard the front door close. I quickly finished my breakfast and brought the plates to my mom. We took a small bit of time together to do the dishes. We always did them together, since I was little. She washed and I dried. My dad use to be the one to put away, but when he became the general of Galbadia, that stopped. And now it was just me and mom, so I put the dishes away too.

I heard my phone chirp and I turned, drying my hands and grabbing it off the counter. It was a text from Selphie, letting me know that she had just woken up. We wanted to get to the stores early today before the pickings were slim.

"Mom, Selphie just woke up. So I'm gonna head over to her place and meet her." I said as I tossed my phone in my bag after I had returned my friends text.

"Okay honey, Have fun and drive safe." She told me, the same thing she always told me. I walked over and grabbed my keys from the keyrack and stopped to kiss her cheek.

"I will, promise!" I said, and I headed out the door to my car. It wasn't anything over the top. Even though my father could afford over the top. It was a dark blue Honda Civic. I didn't want anything crazy.

I started the car and headed over to my friends.

* * *

After what felt like forever and a day of shopping, we headed down the street toward my mother's cafe.

"You should have got the purple one Quisty! It looked so pretty on you!" Selphie said, still upset at the dress that Quistis had chosen.

"Seifer told Rin this morning to persuade me to get a red dress, although I have no idea why he couldn't just tell me that!" Quistis said.

"I think because he had to make it look like he didn't care what kind of dress you wore." I told her with a laugh, holding my dress in my arms.

"I like the one you chose Rin, very pretty." Selphie told me.

The dress I chose wasn't overly sexy, but it wasn't underly sexy either. It fit my frame, it was sky blue and white.

"Do you have a date?" Quistis asked me and I shook my head.

"Nope, me and Zell are going stag." I said. "A few of the boys asked me, but… none of them are my type." I said.

"What _is_ your type? You told us like nothing about what you like in a guy." Selphie said to me and I shook my head.

"It's a secret." I told her.

As we walked into the cafe, I glanced around at all the people that were sitting and talking to one another. I felt a moment of happiness for mother. Selphie and Quisits had smiles on their faces too. I could recognize a lot of people from my school, I kind of wondered about that, I had to admit but I decided to push it aside for now. Since I was just happy because there was people.

"At least our regular table isn't taken!" Selphie said excitedly as she walked over to it and sat down. Me and Quistis smiled and sat down with her. I looked around for my mom and didn't see her, she might have been in her office.

"I'll be right back. Get me a tea when the server comes by. I'm gonna go show my mom my dress." I said. They nodded and I stood up, walking around to the door leading to the back room. I typed in the code, which of course I knew since it was my birthday and I heard a click and I opened the door. Letting it shut behind me as I made my way toward my mother's office.

"Mom!" I said, knocking on the door.

"Come in honey!" She said through the door and I opened it. She was sitting behind her desk, smiling at me.

"Did you find a dress?" She asked as she took her glasses off. I nodded and unzipped the garment bag that protected the dress.

My mom got up from her desk and came around, looking over the dress. "This is really pretty Rin." She told me with a smile. "I was a teensy bit worried you would get something revealing." She said.

"MOM!" I couldn't help but look at her shocked before I started laughing.

"Well, I know Selphie likes to push people." She said, laughing herself.

"I won't tell her you said that." I put my finger to my lips as if it was a secret. But in reality, it was the truth. Selphie loved putting people outside of their boundaries. That was just the way that she was and sometimes it was annoying, but sometimes, she was spot on. She was my best friend too, so it wasn't like I couldn't tell her no if I wanted to.

"Can I leave this in here until the dance, I don't want to risk it getting ruined." I asked her.

"Sure honey, just put it over there. Tell Selphie and Quistis if they want to leave theirs here too, they are more than welcome."

I nodded and hung my dress up where she had indicated.

"Mom…" I said as I came to sit in the chair. "My birthday is this weekend…" I said to her.

"Yes, I am well aware." She said with a smile. "Did you decide what you wanted to do?" She asked me and I nodded.

"I want a party, a small one. Well, a sleepover." I told her. "Just Quistis, Selphie….." I hesitated. "Zell, Irvine and Seifer?" I was hesitant to ask if the boys could stay.

"Fine." She said simply with a smile on her face.

"Really? Thanks mom! You're the best!" I went around to her side and hugged her. I walked to the open door to go back to my friends when her voice stopped me.

"The boys can sleep in the guest room." She said. I turned to her and nodded, It was better than her saying no to them staying. Like any other mother she wouldn't allow me to have boys spend the night. So I would take what I could get.

I headed back out to my table where Quistis and Selphie were. I sat down and took a sip of my drink. "My mom said yes. The boys can stay over too, but they have to sleep in the guest room." I said, making sure to add in my mother's condition.

"I'm sure they will be fine with that." Selphie said and Quistis made a face.

"I'm sure Seifer will end up on the sofa." Quistis said. "Irvine snores and Zell talks in his sleep. Seifer will end up killing them before morning comes."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that." I said. "Well! Then the couch is Seifer's! I'm sure my mom doesn't care where they drop as long as it isn't in my room." I said with a smile.

"Hey, did you know she hired a new server?" Selphie asked me, I took another sip of my tea and nodded.

"Yeah, like a week ago or something. Biggs and Wedge quit at the same time. She needed someone. I hear he's really good." I said as I finished off the glass. "Have we ordered yet?" I asked.

I could hear footsteps walk by us and another glass was set before the footsteps continued onto another table. I smiled and switched the glasses. So the server could pick it up as they were walking by.

"No, we were waiting on you." Quistis said as I picked up a menu. I knew the menu by heart, but I usually looked at it anyways because there were times that I just didn't know what I wanted.

It only took a minute to decide to go with my usual and I set the menu down.

"You guys ready?"

I glanced over and it was right then I caught sight of the new server my mom had hired. He was tall, about five feet ten inches, chocolate brown hair and icy blue eyes. There was a scar across his face and it seemed so familiar. But more than that, I noticed… he was freaking gorgeous.

"Uh-yeah." I managed to choke out. "Club sandwich no pickles, fries and a side of mayo." I told him, the male looked down and scrawled something down and took my friends orders before walking away.

As soon as he was out of earshot. I smiled. " _That_ is my type." I said with a soft chuckle.

* * *

 **A Note from Ayu -** _Well, there you have it! The first chapter of my new story! No worries all! I will still be working on_ _ **All that Glitters,**_ _this is just something else for my fans to read and enjoy! Please Please PLEASE read and review. It's really hard to find the want to update when a story is not getting any reviews. I know people are busy, but when there isn't any reviews it makes us authors feel like no one is enjoying what we wrote! But, I hope you all enjoyed this opening chapter! I'm almost done with Chapter Ten of_ _ **All that Glitters,**_ _so expect that up sometime in the next day or two!_


	2. Squall: Training Wheels

**Disclaimer:** Again, I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, because if I did. I wouldn't be writing fan fiction!

* * *

' _Finally, I can go home, I'm so exhausted.'_

I sighed as I walked out of the back door of the restaurant after closing up. My boss, Julia was still there but she had told me to go ahead and go on home. As the door shut behind me, I pulled a cigarette out of the pack in my pocket and lit one. I know smoking is a bad habit, but compared to what I use to do, I didn't worry about smoking. I took a hit and let the smoke float from my mouth as I walked the short distance from the door to my motorcycle. I set my jacket on the seat as I stood by it to finish my smoke. It was pretty much impossible to smoke on my bike considering it was a considered a crotch rocket.

I ran a hand through my hair, something I did really often. I don't know why but I have always done it. It was like a compulsion or something. It could be worse, I could pick at my face or bite my fingernails or something. I pulled out my phone and unlocked it, seeing that I have fifteen missed text messages and I groaned inwardly. "The hell?" I clicked on the contact and almost all of them were from my idiot of a father.

My father, Laguna Loire, he was almost unbearable to deal with. He acted like a child most of the time and couldn't seem to even take care of himself. My mother, Raine on the other hand. She was a lot like me, I suppose that was where I got all of my personality traits from. I coughed a little from the cigarette before tossing it and grabbing my helmet from the tail end of the bike. It was a pretty safe town, so I didn't have any issues with leaving my helmet outside. I put it over my face and mounted the bike.

Once I had sped off it didn't take me long to get home. I pulled into the driveway of the home I shared with my mother, It wasn't an overly big house but it was big enough for the two of us. As I was removing my helmet from my head and shutting off the bike I could hear crooning from across the street.

"SQUALL! STOP WITH THAT RACKET!"

You help a lady with her trash cans _one_ time and she thinks that it's perfectly okay to talk to you like you're a delinquent. I rolled my eyes before I turned with an apologetic look.

"Sorry Ms. Calem." I said to her, as I said to her every single time I pulled in the driveway.

"YOU SHOULD GET A QUIETER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. LIKE, OH I DON'T KNOW! A CAR!" She yelled at me, which made me sigh.

"Yes ma'am, I'll work on that." I told her, I pretty much had the conversation memorized. We had the same one every single night. I waved at her, out of respect and turned, walking to my front door and unlocking it. Once I was inside, I turned and shut the door, locking it out of habit.

I set my stuff down and walked through the entryway to the living room, where my mother was snuggled underneath a blanket, watching something on television. "Hey mom." I said as I came over to her, leaning into place a kiss on her cheek before I sat opposite her on the coffee table. "Did you move at all today?" I asked her.

My mother was diagnosed with Cervical cancer a year ago. It's progressed so much that the doctors are not sure there is anything they can do. It was one of the reasons I came home. I wanted to take care of my mom and spend as much time with her as I could.

"Mmm." she nodded at me sleepily. "Hi honey. Welcome home." She sounded so tired.

"Yeah, I'm home." I said softly as I reached out and brushed some of her hair from her face. "Did you eat the lunch I left for you?" I asked her, I was rewarded with a nod. "Good."

I pulled out some cash and put it in her lap. "That should cover whatever we have coming up." I told her.

"Squall…" She started and I stopped her.

"We're not having this conversation again, okay mom? I came home to take care of you. Let me." I told her and she smiled.

"You've changed so much. Sometimes, I hardly recognize you." She said.

I smiled at her. "I'm gonna make us some dinner okay?" I said and she nodded, so I got up and headed to the kitchen.

She was right though, the old me didn't care about anyone but himself. My parents got divorced when I was ten, I lived with my mom up until three years ago. I got involved with the wrong crowd of people, ended up addicted to tweek. It was a big problem when it ran through Balamb a few years ago. I was so out of control that my mother sent me to Esthar, hoping it would clean up my act.

Although I was clean of the drug. My personality didn't change. My father couldn't control me. I was even in an Estharian military academy. I was expelled after five days. It seemed like I was going to be the black mark on my father. That embarrassing son, always getting his father caught up in scandal.

Then I found out my mother was sick.

That changed everything for me. I cleaned up my act and I moved back to Balamb to take care of her. My father, although apprehensive of my leaving, understood and supported it. He still loved my mother after all, she left him because she couldn't deal with his constant work schedule. He's paying for all of her medical expenses. He wanted her to come back to Esthar, but nevermind the fact she was too sick to travel, she didn't want to leave Balamb. He offered to pay all of the bills too, but I decided to take that role. Maybe it was a way of showing my mother that I had cleaned up, and she could be proud of me.

I washed my hands and started on dinner. My phone playing an Estharian rock song next to me as I nodded my head to the song. The song was called 'Alternate Reality', that would be a nice thing to have right now. I didn't think I would be able to deal with my mother leaving me. I got dinner into the oven and I went to my backpack, opening it up and pulling something out.

"Hey, I got you something." I said to her as I came back into the living room. She looked at me with a soft smile.

"Squall, you do so much for me. I don't need anything else, you're here." She told me.

"You'll like this though." I told her as I held up a book. "More activity books, I got word searches and sudoku. That should keep you entertained." I set the books on the table. "And this."

I held up an old tattered cd. "I found it on ebay. The case was in pretty bad condition, but I replaced it. I remember I broke your copy when I was eight. It took eight years, but I replaced it for you." I told her as I handed her the cd.

The singer was Tatyana Bulanova, and it was her favorite album. I had always felt horrible that I destroyed it. It took a long time, but I managed to track it down and I felt good that I was able to do that. The smile that she gave me was more than worth all of the effort.

"Thank you honey." She said happily, even if it sounded like she was exhausted. I got up and placed a kiss to her temple before I went to check on dinner. It was about done, so I got the plates out of the cabinet and started plating.

* * *

I got up into my room at about midnight, three hours after I had gotten home. I had fed my mother dinner, got her upstairs and bathed and dressed for bed, once she had taken all of her medication and was asleep for the night I could have some me time. I set my bag on my bed and grabbed my towel, heading across the hall into my bathroom. I quickly showered and got into my pajamas.

Once back in my room, I rubbed my hair dry with the towel before hanging it on my mirror. I walked over and opened the window, grabbing my cigarettes and climbing out. I walked down the roof a little and sat down, opening the pack and lit one up and listened to the music playing out of the phone. The music quieted for a minute and I could hear my phone vibrating on top of the roof tiles. I picked it up and opened the text messages.

 _Hey, someone stood me up today._

I sighed, I had totally forgot about meeting up with Seifer, I switched my keyboard from Aglano, the language spoke through most of Eos, to Estharian, the language spoken in Esthar, where both Seifer and I were from.

 _Sorry, I ended up having to work. I'll make it up to you._

I sent the text message and I sighed, setting my phone down. I still had all those text messages from my father that I had to answer, but I wasn't going to do it now. I didn't have the mental capacity to deal with him right now. I took another hit off my cigarette and glanced at my phone when it vibrated again. It was Seifer saying 'Okay' so I didn't bother to answer it. I was exhausted. I finished my cigarette and tossed it off the roof.

I still had a paper to write and I didn't have the energy to do that. I wanted to just crawl in my bed and go to sleep, but the problem was that it was due the next day, so either I took a late grade on it, or I pushed through it. So I sat at my desk, setting my cigarettes beside me and I turned on my laptop, opening up my partially done paper. Looking over it, I figured it would take a while. So I went downstairs and made a cup of coffee.

Once I got started on the paper, it went smoothly. Two hours, a cup of coffee and four cigarettes later I had a finished product. I printed it out and stuck it in my binder so that I would have it the next day. I grabbed my planner and double checked it, making sure I had nothing else due the next day. Which I didn't so that was awesome. I shut it and got my stuff ready for school the next day so I could sleep as long as possible. It was one of the reasons I showered at night versus the morning. I needed all the sleep I could get.

Before bed I checked in on my mom one more time and when I got back into my room I turned the monitor up. Short of sleeping in my mother's room, this was a perfect method for me to keep an eye on her. Baby monitors were awesome. I had to admit to that. Once I finally got into bed and had my speaker on low volume with music playing out, I drifted off to sleep without a problem.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of my mother coughing. I looked at my phone. My alarm was set to go off in about an hour and I decided that I wasn't going back to sleep so I just turned it off and got out of bed. Walking down the hall to her room, opening it to find my mother sitting up in bed with her hand over her mouth, coughing hard. I went to her bedside immediately and she pulled her hand away from her mouth, there was blood dripping off and it was dripping down her chin. I got up and went to the bathroom. I came back with a wet rag and cleaned up her face and hand.

"Maybe I should stay home today, you don't look so hot." I told her.

"No, School is important. You need to be there. You already have too many missed days because of me." She said.

I sighed. "They know and they understand. I don't feel right leaving you here alone all the time. I just wish dad would help out more." I said. "Maybe at least come down here and see you." I said.

"You know-" She started and once again I cut her off.

"There's no excuse!" I said. "You were his wife at one point, the mother of his son. He claims that he still loves you. He should be here. He should make the time."

But I knew, It wasn't going to happen. No matter what anyone said or did. My father wasn't going to change. He was always going to put work before anything else in his life and I guess I had to accept that. I sighed and gave my mom a smile. "It's okay." I reassured her. "I'll always be here to take care of you." I told her with a soft smile and chuckle.

* * *

I really didn't want to be here.

Somehow, as she always did. My mother convinced me to go to school. That, plus, her best friend Julia had come by and offered to stay with my mother. She had other people to help her run the diner. So, I went to school.

I tossed my English book in my locker. Sighing, once again to myself. ' _Maybe I should just drop out.'_ I quickly shook that thought from my head. If I dropped out. My mother would be so disappointed. I had a tiring lifestyle, but it was better than being out and running around all night long.

I wasn't sure how long I had been standing at my locker, spaced out before I had a tap on the shoulder. Turning I saw nothing but blonde for a moment.

"Feeling okay?" I heard a familiar language. I nodded.

"Yeah, sorry I stood you up." I told Seifer. Who simply shook his head.

"Well you know, I cried for hours. Being stood up by the oh-so-desirable Squall Leonheart has that effect." Seifer joked at me and I laughed, turning back to grab my math book and I shut my locker.

"Where are you gonna sit for lunch?" He asked me and I shrugged. Something I did often.

"Not hungry. I'll probably just go to the library and get a head start on homework. I have to work tonight and I don't want to be up half the night like I was last night." I told him.

"That won't do at all!" He told me. "Nah, you're gonna come sit with me and my friends. It will do you well to socialize!"

I sighed. "Sei-" I didn't get a chance because I was being pulled down the hallway by a scary blonde.

We entered the lunchroom and he pointed to a table. Sitting there already was Irvine Kinneas, I had history with him. Selphie Tilmitt, a girl I use to hang out with in middle school, Zell Dintch, another one of my middle school friends. Quistis Trepe joined them a second later, which was odd to me. I had never ran in the same circle as her. And another girl came up shortly after that. I remembered her from the Diner yesterday. She was Julia's daughter.

Seifer and I reached the table and he quickly pecked Quistis in the lips. ' _When did that happen?'_ I asked to myself. I waved when Seifer spoke:

"Hey guys, look who I found staring into his locker like a space cadet!"

Selphie was the first one to pipe up. Which was pretty much like her. "Squall? Is that you?" She asked, to which I nodded and a large smile came to her face.

"Hey man! When did you get back! It's great to see you!" Zell got up and patted, or rather slapped the hell out of, my back.

"Squall! Sit! Sit!" Selphie practically screamed at me and I did as she asked. Sitting in between her and Julia's daughter. You would think that I would know who this girl is. Considering her mom and mine were best friends but we hadn't met. Mostly because until a few months ago. Julia lived in Deling City.

I glanced over at her and she smiled at me. Holding a hand out. "Hi! I'm Rinoa Heartilly." She said happily. I placed my hand in hers.

"Nice to meet you." I said back, mostly out of politeness.

"Wow." She yanked me closer, to which I let out a sound of surprise. "You have really pretty eyes." She added. To which I pulled my hand from hers and looked away.

"T-thank you." I managed to stutter out. Probably because I was so shocked at what had just happened. Or maybe, because she was beautiful. I couldn't tell which.

"Hey! You never answered my question!" Zell chimed in. "When did you get back?" He asked for the second time.

"At the start of the term." I informed him as I pulled a water bottle from my bag. "I've just been absent a lot." I told them. Which elicited a look of concern from Selphie.

"You're not still.." she started. I stopped her.

"No. Three years." I told her, which made her smile. "My mom is sick. So, I've been missing a lot of school because I've been taking care of her." I said honestly.

Selphie looked so sad. "Is she gonna be okay?"

I sighed and stood. This wasn't working out very well. "I don't know." I told her. "Listen, thanks for the warm welcome guys. But. I can't do this" I was never very good at these types of situations. I grabbed my bag and left the lunchroom.

I headed outside to my secluded spot. Somewhere the staff wouldn't find me smoking. I dug through my bag and lit one up. Sitting down and leaning against the wall as I took a hit and felt the calmness run through me.

"Ummm. Squall?"

I looked up to see Rinoa standing there. Looking concerned. I looked away and she walked over to me. Sitting down next to me.

"Are you alright?" She asked me and I sighed.

"Yes. No. I don't know." I told her as I took another hit.

"I knew about your mom already. My mom told me." She said. I nodded, I figured her mother would have said something. "So, if you need anything…" she trailed off.

"Thanks, I'll be okay." I reassured her.

"My mom said that you're working really hard. And school, and taking care of your mother. It must be stressful."

I nodded. It was, but I didn't mind doing it. If anything, I was determined to do it. To show everyone that I really had changed and that I had cleaned up my act. I didn't know if it would work but at this point. It was all I could do.

"I doubt you really have anyone you can lean on. Tell your problems to." She added. Which made me nod again.

"It's okay." I told her. "I'm not that great about talking about my problem anyways."

"Here."

I looked over at her and she was holding a paper. I reached out and took it. Looking at it.

"It's my phone number." She added. "If you need anything at all. Don't hesitate to call me. Your mom is my moms best friend. So, I thought, maybe, we could try to be friends too." She explained.

"Thanks." I told her. I didn't really intend to call her. But that didn't mean that it wasn't a nice offer.

"Call me. Okay?" She moved to stand up and I nodded at her.

I was left alone again. With my thoughts and all my problems. I let the tears that were fighting to be released fall. I was alone. So it wasn't like there was anyone to see me.

I cried for what felt like the millionth time since I've been back in Balamb.

* * *

 **A Note from Ayu:** AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF ANOTHER WRITER'S BLOCK! I actually managed to finish this last night, on my cell phone at work! So I was super proud of myself. I'm really sorry that I haven't been updating, I hit a pretty nasty writer's block, and Final Fantasy XV has been taking up my life. But! I beat it and I seem to be over the block, for the time being! I'm currently working on Chapter three, so I hope that will be up soon. And Chapter ten of **All That Glitters**

 **;;** **Elendyr -** PLEASE STILL LOVE ME! I know it took me forever to get this up! I'm so sorry lovely!

 **;; Senhorita Caroline -** Thanks for reading! Sorry the new chapter took so long!


	3. Rinoa: You've Got a Way

**Disclaimer:** How many times for I have to say this? I DO NOT OWN FINAL FANTASY VIII, god I wish I did though, I won't even lie!

* * *

I had to admit. Since meeting Squall, I was a little worried about him. My mom had told me about how his mother was sick and that he had come back from Esthar to take care of him. It seemed really sweet. Although, looking at him. He didn't seem to put off a lot of emotions.

Twas the night of my sleepover and I contemplated asking Squall at school if he wanted to come. But he just didn't seem like he was into that kind of thing. But, it was nagging me so I thought helping my mom decorate a little would be the thing to cheer me up.

"So, honey. You excited?" She asked as she set some stuff on the table. A fun little sign that said ' _leave presents here, no presents? Get out._ ' It was actually a little amusing to me that she would make a sign like that.

"Yeah. I thought about adding one more. But I don't think he would come." He said as I grabbed a soda and opened it.

"Who dear?" She asked me.

"Raine's son. Squall?" I said hesitantly.

"Oh. I didn't know you two knew each other." She noted and I nodded. Explaining how I met him at school and gave him my number in case he needed anything. Not that I had heard so much as a peep from him since then.

"Honey. That's very sweet of you. But there was a reason you had never met Squall." She said. Which made me curious.

"He was addicted to drugs. In a last ditch attempt to save him. His mother shipped him off to Esthar to live with his father."

It all made sense! That's what Selphie was talking about! I had wondered about her half of a question to him at school when he cut her off. And now it all made sense. She thought he was absent a lot because he was high. When in reality. He was taking care of his mother.

"He seems better." I said.

"He is. He's been clean for three years. But that stuff never really goes away." She said. "But, he came back to Balamb for his mother. So when he applied for the job. I couldn't say no."

I looked up at her. Sipping on my drink. "Applied for?" I was confused.

"He works at the cafe. He's the new server I hired." Julia laughed. "Don't tell me you didn't notice!"

It was kind of amusing to me. Because I hadn't. I didn't even notice that they were the same person.

"So..." I reached in the vegetable plate. "You're gonna say: ' _Stay away from that boy. He's no good!_ ' Now right?" I asked her, using a low commanding voice for part of it. Trying to sound like my father, which made my mother laugh.

"Most mothers, yeah probably." She said. "But no. You might be a good influence on him. And lord knows he needs someone to rely on." She said. "You should invite him."

"He's not at the cafe?" I asked.

"He shouldn't be. I didn't put him on the schedule. He said he needed to morning off. But I gave him the whole day. Just in case." She said. "So call him. See if he can break away to join us."

"He had my number. I don't have his." I told my mom, who moved over to her planner. She flipped through the pages for a minute before putting the book in front of me. I looked down. 'Squall' was written in neat handwriting. My mom never did like to keep her numbers just in phones.

"What if his mom answers?" I asked, clearly embarrassed.

"That should be his cell. He's picked up every time I called it." She said as she continued to decorate the table with snacks.

I pulled my phone out. Looking at the paper and dialing the numbers. But I stopped before I hit the call button. "I can't do it." I told her pathetically.

"Here. Gimme." Before I could protest she had yanked the phone from my hand. Pressing the call button she put the phone on speaker.

" _Hello?"_

I nearly died. His sleepy voice. It was actually cute.

"Squall? Sorry to wake you. It's Julia!" She said happily.

" _Hmm, oh, did you need me to come in? I thought I was off today."_

I stared at my mother in awe. She had actually called him. Even if it would be bothersome to most daughters. I thought it was actually pretty great of her.

"No. You're off. I was actually calling because my daughter is a chicken."

I think that was the first time I ever glared death daggers at my mother.

" _A chick- huh?"_

He sounded confused and it was adorable.

My mother simply laughed. "She wants to invite you to her birthday party. But she thought you might say no. So how about it? Wanna join us?"

I looked at my mom. I couldn't believe her right now!

" _Tell her thanks, but, I should stay home. My mom-"_

"How about this. I'll stay with your mother and you kids will have the whole house to yourself. **And** I'll give you raise."

I went wide eyed and put my hand over the speaker.

"Mom!" I whispered harshly. "You're bribing him?!"

"Hell yes. For my child I will do anything." She laughed.

" _Mom! Stop! Okay. Okay. Alright I'll go! Happy?"_

I could hear him talking to his mother in the background as could my mom who smiled.

" _Okay. My mom is being really stubborn about this. I'm in. Tell Rinoa, I'll be there."_ He said and hung up the phone.

I couldn't do anything more than stare at the phone in complete shock and awe, not only had my mother _called_ Squall for me, but she, and of course there was help from Raine, convinced him to come to the sleepover of a girl he had met once for like ten minutes. I had to hand it to my mother, she could be a genius when she wanted to be. And at that moment, I was more proud than anything else that Julia Caraway, was my mother.

"Mom! You were amazing!" I told her happily and she just smiled.

"You're welcome, but this means I won't be home tonight, since I'm going to stay with Raine." She told me. "There better not be any funny business or you're grounded until you die. Got it?" She used her stern voice and although I was still smiling at her, I nodded.

"Oh, and one more thing…" She said and I looked at her. "Make sure Squall doesn't smoke in my house." Not that it needed to be said, but I understood why my mother said it.

"Of course! No smoking in the house!" I told her with a laugh before moving to kiss her cheek again. She was so awesome, I still couldn't imagine that she had actually convinced him.

* * *

I checked over my outfit, I'm not sure why I was so concerned, these were my friends. Could it have been because of Squall? I had to admit, he was gorgeous. I liked him, even though I barely knew him. As much as I did thought, I knew that there probably wasn't a chance of him paying any of that kind of attention to me. Squall had a lot on his plate after all.

Still, I looked over my tight jeans and my off the shoulder top. It was a little sexy, but not over the top. My long ebony hair had been straightened for near two hours and had enough product in it that I didn't think it would move, let alone mess up. My makeup was perfect, but I didn't put on more than I normally did. I didn't want it to be obvious to my friends that I was trying to impress someone, although, I doubted that anyone would notice because they didn't even know Squall was coming yet. I guess I didn't rushing to tell them because I still wasn't sure he wouldn't back out at the last minute.

I smiled at my appearance and I moved to open the door. Heading down the stairs to see my mother getting her own stuff together. But, she didn't have a bag. She was putting keys and stuff in her purse.

"Is your bag in the car already?" I asked her.

"Rinoa. You look beautiful." She said with a smile. "No, I don't have one. Actually, Squall called earlier." She said and almost instantly I could feel myself starting to get depressed.

"So, he's not coming…" I said.

"No! He is! He called because Raine is actually feeling really well today. She asked him if she could come to the party, you know, get out of the house a little. So, I'm going to pick her up." Julia said.

"Oh! Wouldn't she just ride with Squall then?" I asked her.

"He's out, apparently. She doesn't know where because he wouldn't tell her." Julia smirked, it seemed like both his mother and mine had an idea of where he might be.

"Oh. Okay!" I said. "Be safe then!" I told her happily as I walked her to the door.

She opened the door and there was a hand, about to knock apparently. Then, there was a brunette smiling at me.

"Selphie!" I said happily. "Why were you knocking! Come in!" I took a hold of that hand and practically dragged the girl inside.

"Happy birthday Rinny!" She said as we hugged, she walked over to the table and read the sign that her mother had put there earlier. "Cute." She said as she set the box with yellow wrapping paper on the table. "Good thing I came with a gift then." She said with a smile and I nodded.

"Want a soda?" I asked her as I reached into the cooler, I pulled one out for me and one for her and handed it to her. Opening mine and taking a sip. "You're the first one here." I told her, as if that wasn't already obvious.

"Irvine had to stop into work, so he'll be a little late. But he said that you shouldn't be sad because he's gonna be here. He promises." Selphie informed me and I nodded. I understood that he would be late and I was okay with it. A few minutes later I heard the doorbell again.

"More Guests!" I said with a smile as I ran to the door.

* * *

"Wait! So, Alanis Chesterton is copying Quistis' hair style?" I said loudly as I laughed.

When my mother had come back with Raine, we decided to move the party outside. By this time, the music was in full playlist, and everyone was here. Even Irvine, there was only one person missing. Which made me sad, I thought for sure, since his mother was here. Squall would have come.

"Well, I _am_ fabulous!" She said back and we all laughed again. "Although, If she copies my wardrobe, then it will be like single white female all over again. So let's hope." She added.

"She can't copy the accent thought can she?" Irvine piped in as he took a chip and tossed it into his mouth.

"Not well at least." Seifer said. "She wants me. She thinks by becoming Quisits, I'll be attracted to her." Seifer was sitting on the bench, with his arm around Quistis. "Not that it will ever happen because my heart belongs to this girl right here." He said.

I heard something and I looked up. It was close.

"That sounds like… a motorcycle?" Selphie started.

"Squall's bike, makes sense, his mother is here." Seifer said, clearly as if he knew what was going on.

The bike came roaring into the backyard, on it was a figure with Squall's build. I couldn't see his face because of the helmet. A moment later it was quiet again, the figure had turned the bike off and pulled the helmet off and I finally got a glance of those blue eyes.

"Sorry I'm late." He said as he got off the bike, setting the helmet on the seat.

"Oh that's okay! Thanks for coming." I said as I stood and walked over to him.

He looked a little nervous for a moment before handing me a wrapped box he had gotten out of his backpack.

"This is for you." He told me, I glanced at the box before I took it from him.

"You didn't have to bring a gift, but, thank you." I said as I walked with him inside, setting his present with the others as I saw him walk over to his mother, leaning down to her he spoke to her for a moment before kissing her on the cheek and walking back over to me. It was sweet, watching him check on his mother.

"Want something to drink? We are all just talking outside, giving the adults some quiet." I told him as we walked back outside. I sat back in my hammock and Squall looked around, obviously looking for a place to sit. "Drinks are in the cooler." I told him. "You can sit here, next to the birthday girl." I told him with a smile, as if it was some kind of honor.

He grabbed a soda from the cooler and sat next to me, popping it open and taking a drink. I just kind of watched him, before I felt someone take my hand. It was Selphie. I let her lead me inside, under the guise of having to go to the bathroom and wanted me to walk with her upstairs. I did as she asked, saying to everyone that I would be right back and we headed up the stairs. As soon as we were in my room and Selphie had closed the door, she turned to me.

"What is _he_ doing here?!" She said. "Are you insane? Inviting Squall?!" She said.

"What do you mean? His mom and mine are best friends, and I thought that it would be nice if he got to have a little bit of fun and his mom wanted to get out of the house." I said, excusing that I had been the one that wanted to invite him.

"Rinoa…" She said. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Why are you so upset that I invited Squall? Did- Did you two use to go out?" I asked hesitantly.

"Me and Squall?! HELL NO!" She said. "God no… I mean, we use to be best friends but we never went together like that."

"Then why are you so mad?" I asked her

"Because, He's an addict!" Selphie said. "Look, it's nice that you wanted to invite him, but Squall only cares about himself. That is the way that he has always been. Being best friends with him, it's like him knowing you're there, but never really trusting you. That kid doesn't trust anyone." She said.

"Selphie. I know about his past, my mom told me. It was also the reason that they intentionally made sure I never met him. But he's clean now." I told her.

"Are you sure?" She asked me. "He's missed _a lot_ of school. And you actually believe that excuse that his mother is sick?" She said, I looked at her in disbelief. This wasn't Selphie, she normally didn't distrust people like this.

"Raine _is_ sick. My mother told me." I told her. "Ovarian Cancer." I didn't feel right talking to Selphie about Raine's sickness, but I also believed that Squall wasn't the person that Selphie thought he was. I didn't know why I was so defensive, but I knew that he was different.

"Either he leaves, or I do." Selphie crossed her arms.

"Fine! Thanks for coming." I told her, crossing my own. She looked shocked.

"You're really going to choose him, who you _just_ met, over your best friend?!" She said back, louder.

"No! You're forcing me to choose." I told her. "It's my party, and I can invite who I want. I really wanted him here. I just didn't think you had this side to you." I said back.

"What side?" She countered.

"You don't trust in people. If he says he's clean, he's clean. Until he slips up and reveals that he isn't. Innocent until proven guilty right?" I said.

"That's not the way it works with junkies!" Selphie said.

"Oh, okay so he's less than because he made a mistake?" I asked her. "Did anyone ever bother to ask him _why_? Why he got addicted? Why he tried it the first time? What was going on in his life that he felt like that would be the thing that helped him?" I said. "Addicts don't become Addicts just because. There's always a reason."

I turned to walk away from Selphie, as I opened the door my eyes widened. Squall was standing right there, his eyes staring at the ground and I knew in that moment. He had heard everything we had said.

"Squall.." I started but he turned and walked back down the stairs. I turned to Selphie. "Happy now?" I asked as I turned to follow the brunette male.

I followed him down the stairs as he marched out the back door. Raine standing and calling his name. I followed him, stopping to grab his present off the table, I followed him outside where he was mounting his motorcycle.

"Squall.." I said before he had a chance to turn the engine on. "Please don't go." I asked him.

He didn't say anything to me, he just started the bike and put his helmet on. I knew he couldn't hear me but I kept on begging him not to go as he turned the bike. I saw my chance, before he had the chance to speed off, I grabbed his shoulders and used them to help hoist myself onto the bike. He turned around, I couldn't see his eyes through his helmet but I was determined, I looked at that dark visor and put my arms around his waist.

He didn't say anything, he just turned back around and sped off. I left my own party. We got down to the end of the block and he stopped, setting his foot on the ground and pulling his helmet off.

"What are you doing?" He asked me.

"Going with you." I said back.

"Why?"

"Because…" I started. "I-" Why was I going with him? I couldn't even formulate a reason why I was doing all of this.

A minute later I heard a sigh.

"Here." He moved a little and put the helmet on my head, using his hands to clip the chin strap. Then he turned around and took his foot from the concrete, Once again speeding off, where to? I didn't know.

* * *

We didn't stop for a while. Not until we hit the beach. He pulled over and got off the bike, stopping to help me off and helping me get the helmet off my head.

"Wow, that things heavy." I said as soon as it was off.

"Well, it does keep you from cracking your head open if you fall." He said as he set it on the seat.

"The beach?" I asked as I looked out over the water.

"I come here sometimes to think." He said, digging through his bag and lighting up a cigarette.

"You know, smoking is bad for you." I said with a smile.

"Better than the alternative." He shot back as walked down the beach and sat in the sand. I followed him, sitting next to him.

He set his bag beside him and he took another hit off the cigarette, blowing the smoke out into the wind.

"So, you heard it all huh?" I asked him, he nodded.

"Honestly, I'm not surprised."

I looked at him, shocked.

"I wasn't expecting to come back here and magically have friends again. In fact, the only one I haven't avoided since I got back was Seifer. Although, hearing all that stuff out loud. It hurt, especially coming from Selphie. She was the one that decided to be friends with me." He explained.

"Selphie does that." I was in agreement. Selphie usually was the first to initiate anything. "But, what does it matter what she thinks? You're doing better." I tried to reassure him. "I think that people who don't give you another chance when you mess up. They are the ones missing out."

"Speaking of missing out." He said. "You're missing your own party." He said.

I simply shrugged. "I know. But, I really wanted you to come and I was really happy when you did-" I was cut off by my cell ringing. He looked back toward the water and I pulled it out, answering the phone.

" _Rin?"_ It was my mother.

"Hi mom."

" _Oh honey, are you okay? Please tell me you're with Squall."_

"Yeah, I am. We're at the beach. I'm sorry I took off." I said, she was clearly worried and the way she had asked me if I was with Squall. It probably meant that Raine was worried too. "We are both okay, we'll be back soon." I know Squall hadn't consented to coming back, but I was kind of hoping I could convince him.

" _Okay, well Selphie and Irvine left. Well, Selphie practically dragged him out of the house. What is wrong with her?"_

"I'll explain later." I told my mother and she told me everyone else was hanging around, waiting for me to come back. I hung up the phone and looked at Squall.

"Selphie is gone, she dragged Irvine off with her." I said.

"Probably threatened him to leave by the idea of lack of sex." He said, without concern. "I'll take you home." He said.

"Are you gonna come back?" I asked him.

"I'm just gonna go, it might be easier if I don't stay."

"Please? Please stay?" I begged him.

"Why is it so important that I stay?" He asked.

"I don't know. I just. I want you to." I still couldn't figure out why I wanted him to stay so badly, I just knew that I did. It was important to me for some reason.

He looked at me for a second, taking another hit of his cigarette. "Okay." He said finally. "I'll stay." He said.

"Thanks." I smiled at him. "Oh!" I had just remembered, I have bought his present with me. I went on the other side of him and dug in his bag. "I slipped this in there when we stopped a block away from my place." I pulled out the present and smiled at him. Sitting down again.

"Of all the ones you grab. You grab that one?" He asked.

I smiled at him. "This is the one you got me, and I'm here with you." I looked down at the wrapping paper. It was a decent job, but I wasn't judging him.

"I didn't know what to get, so it kind of sucks." He told me and I shook my head.

I started to open it, tearing the wrapping paper delicately and he held his hand out. I put the paper in his hand and inspected the white box. When I opened it, there was a small circular orb in my hand. I looked it over curiously.

"Oh! It's a speaker!" I said. "Thank you! This is awesome!"

"You mom told me you like music. So…" He trailed off.

"I love it, thank you Squall." I leaned over without a second thought and kissed his cheek. A moment later I looked down at the sand after I realized I had probably made him uncomfortable. "Sorry…" I said quietly.

He smiled and tilted my chin back up to him, I was looking into those deep blue eyes, he leaned forward and I waited in anticipation, to see what he was going to do. Then, I felt it.

His soft lips, on mine.

* * *

 **A Note from Ayu:** There we have it! Chapter three! First of all, let me apologize to all the Selphie lovers out there. I am _not_ a Selphie hater. It's just that Sel is always the good natured and positive one, so I thought that it would be more dramatic if she is the one who is against Squall being around. You will also notice that now that the story is going, there are a few changes from the original summer. The most important being that, Squall is not an orphan. I thought it would be better for the story line if he wasn't.

Let me also talk about some things about the last chapter that I didn't address. The first being that I referred to the world as _Eos,_ As you all know, the world is not named in Final Fantasy VIII like it is in others. Eos sounded the best to me. So that is the name I went with, which is what they call it in Final Fantasy XV. Also, that there are two different languages so far. Aglano, is obviously English, which is spoken in Balamb. And Estharian, which is where Seifer and Squall are from. Quists also has a type of accent in this story and her origin will be revealed later.

One more note, then I'm done talking! Tweak, in this story is the name of the drug that Squall was addicted too. It's a street name for methamphetamines.

 **;; Elendyr -** As always, you are so wonderful and loyal to me! I'm so sorry that I have made you wait so long for me to update. I appreciate you more than I could ever put into words being so patient with me and waiting for updates. You are one of the people in my life that make want to keep writing. I am so happy that you stuck around and waited patiently for me. I posted the new chapter of **All that Glitters** and I will be working on Chapter 12 soon!


	4. Squall: Nobody Wants to Try

**Disclaimer:** I wish I was the mastermind that came up with the idea of Final Fantasy VIII but unfortunately, I was eight when the game came out.

* * *

What in the hell was I thinking?! I kissed her. I don't have the mental capacity to get into a relationship right now. But, I couldn't help it, after what she had said to Selphie, standing up to her for me when she barely knew me. It made me happy. I didn't know what else to do. Then, when she kissed me on the cheek after I gave her the birthday present. I don't know what came over me. She was so sweet and I knew, if I didn't pull away. I would ruin her. Being with me was like poison. I was poison. And I didn't want that for her. So no matter what, now I had to pull back. I had to get away. I had to run. I couldn't ruin her like I ruined everything else in my life. It was exhausting though, not having on my side that I could rely on. It was hard to stay clean when everyone in my life was waiting on me to fuck up. Once a junkie, always a junkie right? That was what I was told. I would never amount to anything, all these thoughts. I wish I could rid them from my brain.

Deep down, there was voice telling me that if I just took a hit, got high one time then the thoughts would fade. But I got rid of that one quickly. I couldn't go back to what I was because that would just prove everyone right. I couldn't go back to being that person. The one that only cared for himself. Then again, didn't I still think that way? Was I really taking care of my mother for her? Or for some selfish way of showing her that I had gotten my act together. I couldn't think anymore, all the thoughts screaming in my head at once. The ones telling me I was okay and I could do this. I was okay. Then the ones that told me that I was still that selfish child that didn't care about their parents. That I only cared for them when it suited me to. I wondered which one was right. I was disgusted by what I had become, but I couldn't tell anyone that. I couldn't show that to my friends, oh right, I didn't have any friends left. Selphie made that clear at the party. She was just waiting for me to screw up again.

I came too, groaning a little as I rubbed at my tired face, I don't even remember falling asleep. As my eyes focused I saw my mom in the dark, still in the same chair and smiling at me. I moved to get up to check on her when I felt a weight on me. Snuggled up to me was Rinoa. My arm was around her under the blanket we had been sharing.

"Better just to let her sleep." Raine said to me softly and I nodded, rubbing my eyes.

"How long was I out?" I asked her.

"A few hours. You needed the rest. You and Rinoa fell asleep halfway through the movie." She told me. "So Quistis and Seifer took her room, Seifer's on the floor. Zell is sacked out in the guest room." She said with a smile. "They thought it best to leave you two here." She said.

I nodded. "Feel like getting some fresh air?" I asked my mother and she smiled.

I carefully untangled myself from Rinoa's limbs, readjusting the blanket over her. I looked at her for a moment, pushing some of her hair from her face as my mother stood. We then walked arm and arm out into the backyard and we sat on the hammock. I lit a cigarette and she looked at me.

"Honey, are you alright? What happened?" She asked me. "When you left."

"Selphie, she said some things and they got to me. I was expecting to hear them you know, I just. I didn't expect them from her and they hurt." I told her as I took a hit. "She thought I was using you being sick as a cover to get high."

"Even the old you wasn't that low. As much as we all hated what you were doing. We appreciated your honesty about it." My mother told me. She reached into my hands and took my cigarettes, lighting one up.

"Mom..." I started to scold her and she cut me off.

"Squall, I already have cancer. What is this going to do to me?" She said as she took another hit. "I quit when you were born. Let me have this huh?" She smiled at me and I felt all the fight fall away from me and I nodded.

"So, what happened between you and Rinoa?" She asked me and I shrugged.

"Nothing." I lied to her, but she knew me too well.

"Bull, tell me."

"I-I kissed her. I just, I got lost in the moment. She was so happy when she opened my gift and, she stood up to Selphie for me. I don't even know why she's being so nice to me. She obviously knows what I was into." I said.

"Baby, that was three years ago. You have to forgive yourself at some point." She told me. "So, what's going to happen between you two?" She added.

"Nothing." I said simply.

"Squall, you can't kiss a girl and then expect them not to feel anything." She said.

"Xu said it herself, I'm poison." He said.

"You mean the girl that got you to start getting high? Honey..." She took another puff and put an arm around me. "She said that because she wanted you to stay with her. You deserved so much better than a girl that was going to drag you down with her. Squall, you're not poison baby." She kissed my head and I gave her a small smile.

"Still... Rinoa shouldn't get involved with me." I told her. "The best thing I could do for her is not let this go any further."

"Do you like her?"

"What?" I questioned her and she repeated the question. I looked down at the burning stick in my hand. "I-I don't know." I said. "I feel, relaxed when I'm around her and she seems so sensitive. I just, I can't help but be comfortable." I tried to explain it as best I could.

"Squall, there is no law that says you can't be happy. It would be good for you to have someone to rely on. I don't know how you dealt with this all on your own for so long." She said. "It's okay to rely on someone. When they genuinely care about you." She told me. "Speaking of.." She whispered to me and I looked up.

Rinoa was standing at the door, wrapped in the blanket I had set over her before I came outside. My mother smiled at me and stood up.

"Goodnight baby." She leaned over and kissed my cheek. "You two don't stay up too late." I nodded and watched her walk past Rinoa, the two spoke for a minute before Raine headed inside and Rinoa started walked toward me. She sat next to me.

"Hi." She said.

"Hey." I replied nervously, running a hand through my hair and lighting up another cigarette.

"Can't sleep?" She asked me and I shook my head.

"No, sorry if I woke you." I told her.

"I got cold, that's why I woke up." She said. "I was comfortable there and then you left, so did all the warmth."

I apologized to her and looked down at the concrete. We sat in silence there for I'm not sure how long. All I could think about was what to do about the situation I had created. I had been the one to kiss her. I didn't know what to do. It was so hard to even figure that out. I liked her, but I also didn't know how to be a boyfriend, how to love someone. I had always been out for myself. Even with Xu, I was too high to really care about anything else.

"Squall?" I was brought back to reality by her voice. I looked at her and she continued. "It's okay you know." She said. "If you don't want to be with me. I didn't invite you here to try anything." She said. "I just wanted you to have some fun."

"It's not that..." I responded to her, sighing. "It's that, I don't know how to do any of this. I've never been a very good boyfriend." I told her.

"I've never had one, so. I don't know how to be a girlfriend." She told me. "We could, figure it out together." She suggested.

I stayed silent, hitting on the cigarette in my hand. I could learn with her, that was what she was telling me. It was a sweet concept. I didn't know if I could learn with her the way that she was saying though. I had never really been the type to care about anyone but myself.

"It's okay though, I get it. You have a lot on your plate. But, It has to be hard. Not having anyone to rely on. Having to be strong all of the time." She said.

I nodded. "I'm not strong all the time. I've cried." I admitted. "More than I would ever care to admit. I keep hoping for some kind of miracle to save her. But, the doctors. They are telling me to prepare and just keep her comfortable. There's nothing they can do."

I could feel myself fighting back tears as I told her that. I didn't realize any of them had fallen until she wiped at my face with her fingers. I looked down at the tears that were on her fingers and I sighed shakily. Before I knew it, I had dropped the cigarette on the ground, Rinoa's arms were around me and my head was buried in her chest. I was sobbing hysterically. It was the first time I had broken down in front of someone. Rinoa didn't say a word the entire time that I cried, all she did was hold me, running her fingers through my hair. It was so comforting. I wrapped my own arms around her, when the sobs started to subside, I looked up at her, my face stained with my tears and that was when she leaned in and kissed me. I didn't fight it, I let her kiss comfort me. My hand floated from around her to cup her cheek as we kissed. We sat there, lips connected until the need to breath became urgent and we pulled away from one another. My hand remained on her cheek.

"Squall..." She whispered. "Let me in, it's okay." She cooed at me, as if I were a small child. "You don't have to deal with this all on your own."

She leaned forward and pecked my lips again, whispering against them: "Let me in, baby."

I pulled away from her, resting my forehead against hers and nodded. She didn't seem like she would take no for an answer, so I decided then and there. That I would rely on her, even if it took time for me to become accustomed to it. I wanted this to work. I wanted it to. It had to. I couldn't keep doing this on my own. It had taken it's toll on me, and I didn't think I would last much longer holding it all inside.

"What did my mom say to you?" I asked her, sniffling a little.

"To take care of you." She told me. "You are her miracle. What did she mean by that?" She asked me.

I laughed a little. "My mom was told she couldn't have kids. She's had ovarian problems her whole life. They adopted my older sister Ellone. Then, four years later. She got pregnant with me. That's what she means by me being a miracle."

"Well then, I'm going to have to take extra special care of you. Because, like you are her miracle. You're also mine." She said to me softly.

I looked up at her and smiled. She smiled back at me and I picked the cigarette off the ground and relit it. She smiled and took the stick from my lips. At first, I thought she was going to crush it but she took a hit off of it. I looked at her shocked.

"I didn't think you-" I was cut off by her coughing.

"I don't. I just wanted to try." She said amidst the coughing. She tried again when she had stopped, the second hit she didn't cough as much.

"I guess I can see the appeal of this." She told me. Handing it back.

"Don't make it a habit." I told her as I took a hit. "I think our mothers would murder me." I said. She nodded and wiggled her way under my arm. I wrapped it around her shoulder as we sat back and looked at the stars. While I smoked she played with my fingers, which made me laugh a little. I could tell by her eyes though, she was starting to get tired again.

"Come on." I said, tossing the cigarette into the flower pot that Rinoa had told me about earlier. "You're exhausted. Let's go inside." I told her.

"You gonna snuggle with me?" She asked. "You're so warm."

I nodded. "Yeah." I stood and so did she, we walked back inside, hand in hand. My mother must have went upstairs to sleep in Julia's room. I laid back on the sofa and pulled my phone out while Rinoa climbed in with me and laid her head on my chest. I turned my music on shuffle and put the phone on the side table, wrapping my arms around her.

"You don't mind, do you?" I asked her.

"Not at all." She said as she looked up at me and kissed my lips. "Goodnight." She said lowly and I smiled at her.

"Goodnight, Rin." I said, wrapping my arms around her.

I'm not sure how long I was laying there, listening to the music and the sounds of her breathing as she slept. Eventually though, my eyes drew heavy and I allowed myself to be taken by sleep. It was one of the best sleeps I had in a long time.

* * *

I woke up the next morning to sounds coming from the kitchen. I sat up and noticed the music on my phone had been turned off. Rinoa must have done it when she got up. I moved out from underneath the blankets and I sighed as I stood up, stretching a little as I made my way to the kitchen.

Quistis was at the table, her long blonde hair in a low ponytail as she smiled at me. "Good morning, Squall." She said happily, Seifer walked from the kitchen and raised his coffee cup at me, a croissant hanging from his mouth. He sat next to his girlfriend and handed her the one in his hand.

"Hey sleepyhead." I heard the soft voice as Rinoa came around the counter from the kitchen. I smiled at her, still half asleep when she took my face between her hands and planted a short and gentle kiss on my lips, which elicited 'ohs' from the other two at the table.

"You sleep okay?" She asked me and I nodded. "How about some coffee? Take cream?" She asked me and I shook my head.

"One sugar." I told her, my voice still thick as I was still waking up. She nodded and pecked my lips happily one more time before going back to the kitchen. I went to sit across from Seifer, on the other side of Quistis and Seifer looked at me.

" _When did that happen?"_ He asked me, before he heard a voice from the kitchen.

"No Estharian! I know you're talking about me!" Rinoa said commanding like.

"We left you two on the sofa. We thought it was just a coincidence you ended up cuddled together when you were asleep." Quistis said lowly. "What happened after we went to bed?"

"It's a really long story guys." I responded to them. "One I will happily tell, when I wake up." As if on cue, Rinoa came out of the kitchen and handed me a cup of coffee.

"Hey, Can I steal you for a minute?" She asked me and I nodded, moving to stand up.

"I will fill you in. I promise." I told them. "But first, if you will excuse me, my presence is required outside."

Me and Rinoa walked out into the backyard and sat at the hammock, where we had sat the night before. I took a sip of my coffee and hummed to myself.

"Good?" She asked me.

"Oh yeah. Thank you. Just what I needed." I told her.

"Good!" She cuddled up next to me and I wrapped an arm around her and sipped on my coffee as she held hers in both of her hands. "So.." She started and I looked down at her. "The cafe is closed today, so you don't have to work. What are your plans?" She asked me.

I moved my arm from around her to light my first cigarette of the morning. I simply shrugged at her question. "It depends on how my mom is feeling, and if she wants to stay here and hang out with Julia." I told her.

"She's in the kitchen with my mom. She seems okay." Rinoa informed me.

"Then, If she's feeling well, then… nothing." I told her.

"So… then how about going on a date with your girlfriend?" She asked me and I looked at her.

"You want me to take you on a date?" I nodded. "Okay, I can do that."

"No.." She said. I looked at her confused and she laughed a little. "I want to take _you_ on a date. Squall, I know you pay all the bills in your house. I want to take you out. Let you relax a little." She told me.

"You want to.." I trailed off, thinking about it.

"Squall, there is nothing wrong with letting your girlfriend treat you to dinner. It doesn't make you any less masculine." She said.

I thought about it, I know normally that it would have been me to pay for everything but she seemed so intent on doing it. Did I really want to risk getting her mad at me already because I didn't respond the way she wanted me to to her kindness. I finally decided to just let her treat me to dinner. I nodded and she smiled.

"Good! Now, what is your favorite color?" She asked me.

"Black." I said without hesitation.

"Of course it is." She sighed.

"And… Red." I told her.

"Black and Red, okay I can work with that." She smiled at me and took a sip of her coffee. "Do you own something nice to wear? Not like a suit or anything, but, nice." She asked me.

"Where are you planning on taking me?" I asked her.

"Galdin Quay?" She said hesitantly.

"Are you _trying_ to get me naked?" I asked her, half joking. "Jesus, that's only the best restaurant in Balamb." I said.

"So, seafood is the way to your heart? I'll remember that." She said with a smile. "You deserve it. I was thinking, a nice dinner and then we can come back here and soak in the hot tub."

"You have a hot tub?" I asked her.

"Yeah." She said with a laugh. "It's over there. It was my birthday gift from my father."

"How did I miss that?" I asked.

Rinoa laughed at me. "You're not very observant, are you? And you went to an Estharian military school?" She asked, clearly shocked.

"Correction: I was _kicked out_ of an Estharian military school. After only five days." I told her.

"How did you manage that?!" She asked me.

"Well, I _allegedly_ …. Burnt down the gym." I said, she looked shocked and I shrugged. "The fire marshall said it could have been mice." I added.

"Mice?" She questioned me sarcastically.

"Mice that were smoking?" I added.

I don't know if was what I said or the fact that I had been kicked out of a school but Rinoa busted into uncontrollable laughter. It was actually nice, to see her laughing like that. I laughed with her, finding myself genuinely laughing for the first time in a long time. I could see our moms standing at the door, smiling at us. I was worried about what was to come in the future but for some reason. With Rinoa by my side, I didn't think I had anything to fear. She would always be with me. At least that was what I had hoped.

"Mice that were smoking. Okay… Right, because they do that." She said amidst her laughter.

"Apparently." I said with a smile.

"Did you _really_ burn down the gym?" She asked.

"I'll never tell." I replied in a sing song voice as I took another sip of my coffee and set it back on the table.

She smiled at me. "So, eight o'clock? Dinner?" She asked me.

"Eight sounds fine." I told her.

"Good." She got up and kissed my cheek. "I'm gonna go help with breakfast. You must be starving." She told me and she headed inside.

I lit up another cigarette, chain smoking was my go to when I was nervous. She wanted to take me to a five star restaurant and then a soak in her hot tub. Just the two of us. I didn't even know if we were officially going out or not. All I knew was I was nervous and excited and had to go through my closet because I was pretty sure I had nothing to wear. I wasn't a fancy kind of guy.

An idea hit me and I stood up, walking to the door. "Seifer, Can I borrow Quis for a minute?" I asked, he nodded and Quistis got up, following me outside.

"So, Rinoa's taking me out tonight. On a date. Like a date date." I said.

"Okay… This involves me… how?" She asked.

"I have nothing to wear." I said. "I don't think."

"Okay, so you need style advice. I can do that, where is she taking you?"

"Galdin Quay." I said.

"Oh crap." She said. "You're right, you _need_ me." She said. I nodded.

"I'll do it, on one condition."

"Anything." I told her.

" _You_ have to tell me, in detail, _exactly_ what happened between you and Rinoa."

Somehow, I knew she would use this to fish for the 'romantic' story of how her and I got together, and so quickly as well. I thought about it for a minute and she gave me a look before she turned around to walk back inside. I jogged after her and took her hand.

"Okay! Okay, I'll tell you. Please help me?" I said.

"Alright! Alright! Gosh, when Squall Leonhart begs. How can a girl say no?" She laughed to herself as she headed inside.

I knew right then and there that she was going to interrogate me later on and there wasn't a thing I could do about it. Although, I didn't mind as much as I thought I would, telling the story of how Rinoa and I met, how we made it to this stage so fast. I was actually kind of excited to tell the story, which was a whole new thing for me.

* * *

My mom was spending the evening with Julia at my house, meanwhile, I was in my room getting ready for my date with Rinoa. Quistis had come over earlier in the day and raided my closet, she deep down I think she knew I couldn't afford to go shopping to get something to wear. She laid the outfit she had chosen on the bed for me and helped me with my hair before she left. I mean, come on, I don't own a flat iron. I don't even know why women own those things. I think Quistis burned me on purpose every time I made her mad.

Right after I changed I heard a knock on my door. I turned the music down and spoke a 'come in' to the person behind it. A moment later Julia entered the room.

"Hey, can we talk?" She asked and I nodded. She closed the door and sat on my bed. I sat in my desk chair and lit a cigarette.

"Nervous?" She asked me and I nodded. "There's no need to be. My daughter really likes you. Which is both wonderful to me, and my worst nightmare." She said.

I looked at her confused.

"You see, when you were using. We made sure that Rinoa wouldn't meet you. You two don't remember but you use to play together as children. You were her first love. And we were afraid that if you two were in the same place, that it would reignite so to speak."

I listened, even if I didn't remember anything about what she was talking about.

"Which, as I can see, It did. So Squall, Stay clean. For your mother, for yourself, and for Rinoa. Don't shatter my daughter's heart, or best friend's son or not. I will kill you."

I smiled. "I don't intend to. She's been good to me. I'm just afraid, that I'm going to hurt her, accidentally. I can't guarantee I won't relapse. I would love to make that promise. But, Once a junkie, always a junkie." I explained to her. "I'm trying to cope. It's difficult. But, I have to take it one day at a time. I can't… can't plan for the future."

"I understand." She stood up. "Have fun tonight, you two will have the house to yourself so… be safe." She said and winked at me, I looked at her.

"I-I don't.." I started. Not being able to process a sentence.

"Look, I've accepted that my daughter is going to have sex. Eventually, Not saying I want it to happen but it would be stupid of me to expect that it won't."

I looked dumbfounded.

"Just if you do anything. Use protection." She smiled at me. "Have fun!" With that she left a very confused me in the room. Staring at the door and hoping it would come to life and eat me.

That's It… I was in hell….

* * *

 **A Note from Ayu:** LOOKIE LOOKIE! TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE NIGHT! I'M AWESOME! Okay, so I debated heavily about whether or not to put the actual date in this chapter, but I didn't want it to be too long and well, I thought there might be too much dialog in this chapter already. Can you believe I wrote this in TWO HOURS?! The muse is flowing tonight, I'd write a third, if my fingers didn't hurt so much from typing. But I will work on that tomorrow I think! Also, I know my message in the last chapter is filled with misspellings, I blame that on my hands going faster than my brain. But anyways! I hope to get chapter five up sometime this week! If I can muster up muse for it too then maybe chapter 12 of **All that Glitters.** But it's two am, so that isn't happening tonight! Lol, No reviewer shoutouts for this chapter because it was written two hours after chapter three and hasn't actually had any reviews in that time. THANKS FOR READING! PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! THEY ARE LIKE FUEL FOR THE MUSE!

Also, just a minor side note. The Mice that were smoking bit, unfortunately did not come from my awesome brain. It was actually a line in I believe the pilot episode of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer._ Joss Whedon is a genius and so, Not gonna lie. Expect awesome lines from his shows to filter into my writing from time to time.


	5. Squall: Kill me, Kiss me

**Disclaimer** : It is the magical line, said by every writer here on Fictionpress. I don't own Final Fantasy VIII. Even if it is my wish to own it so that it can get a sequel and an HD remaster.

A Note from Ayu: Also, a quick note. I was wrong on which chapter I was on with All that Glitters. I am only on Chapter 11. So, I apologize if I have gotten anyone's hopes up in terms of having another chapter to upload on that one. The truth is, I've had so much muse for this story that I haven't even started on the next Chapter of ATG, I hope to get one up this week. Also, I noticed it sneaking in on a few of my other chapters. On my program, it auto corrects though to thought, I try to make sure to correct it, but I have missed it a few times, and not having a beta. I apologize if this happens.

Why in god's name was I so nervous? It's not like I had never been on a date before. Well, I hadn't been on one like this before. Normally, I was the one that planned everything. So, this would be the first time that I was actually putting the night in someone else's hands and it was a strange feeling for me. It was strange, but kind of exciting. I wasn't sure how I was going to go with it, but I also knew that it wasn't going to go badly. For some reason, I trusted Rinoa. I already knew where I was going, so there wasn't a point in worrying about that. Although, I had never went to a place like that before.

I was fully dressed and waiting on Rinoa to show up. I had offered to drive, but she didn't want me too. Probably because she was keeping true to her word that she wanted me to relax. It amused me a little. This date was supposed to get me to relax when all it was doing was putting me on edge even more. So, here I was, on my roof, smoking probably my tenth cigarette since I started getting ready. It wasn't relaxing me like it was supposed to be. Now, I was pretty much just giving myself lung cancer tonight at the rate I was going, but I couldn't stop.

I could hear the music going on in my room. My mother always laughed at me for always having music on. She said that she didn't understand how I could listen to so many different types of music all of the time. Music was the one thing that got me to feel better for sure. I don't know what it was, but it always seemed to relax me when I needed it. It was even helping tonight, even though, not at the point that I would like it to. I was still nervous.

What if I messed up in some way? What if I wasn't the type of guy she was expecting me to be. I was good looking, this much I knew, even with the scar that lined my forehead to the bridge of my nose. But, personality wise. I had always thought that I was kind of a flat person. I never really thought that I had anything interesting or entertaining to say. Although, it usually took me more time to open up to someone than it did to take me to warm up to Rinoa. I think it was because the first time we met she managed to see something in me that I was trying to hide. Which, leave it to me to try and hide something and fail completely. I was so freaking hopeless sometimes. She knew that I didn't know how to do this and I wasn't sure that she was going to like me just as I was. Which I had to admit was scarier than I wanted it to be. I really liked her, it was quick, even I knew that. But there was just something about her that made me attached so quickly.

I heard a car pull into the driveway and I gazed over the roof, watching Rinoa get out of the car, she looked phenomenal, even from this angle. She was wearing a strapless dress, the top was red with black designs and it extended into a black bottom of the dress. Not a single hair on her head was out of place. I looked down at my own appearance. I was wearing a simple white button up shirt and dark black jeans. I looked nice, but I didn't think I would match next to her. Not that there was time to change now.

"I see you up there!" Her voice brought me back to reality.

I looked down and saw her smiling at me. She disappeared from my sight before I could answer her back. I heard a small knock on my door before it opened. I turned around to see Rinoa entering my room, she shut the door and looked around the room. My mother must have told her which door it was. A moment later she carefully climbed through the window and onto the roof to sit next to me.

"Hi." She said as she kissed my cheek.

"Hey, you look incredible." I told her.

"Why thank you! Black and red, your favorite." She told me.

I nodded, but even if the dress had been a different color, it would have still looked incredible on her. I leaned forward, pecking her lips.

"So, my mom is staying the night with yours." She said, as if I hadn't already known that. "Are you going to keep your hands to yourself Mr. Leonhart?" She teased me.

"I promise." I told her back.

"You're no fun!" She exclaimed. "You said Galdin Quay was the way to get you naked! Dammit, I was banking on that!" She laughed as she spoke, as if she was serious but he could easily tell that she was only kidding.

"Don't you have a hot tub adventure planned?" I asked her. "That's close enough I think, for a first date anyways." I teased her back and she stuck her tongue out at me. "Besides…" I added. "I didn't think you were that kind of a girl."

"I'm not."

"Then why bring it up?"

"To see what kind of reaction I was going to get." She said with a small laugh.

"I hope you're driving. You're really not dressed for riding a motorcycle" I informed her.

"I am. Or well, you could. If you wanted."

I looked down at the vehicle in the driveway, it was a pretty nice sports car. She smiled at me.

"You wanna drive?" She asked me, dangling her keys next to me.

"Hell yes." I took them from her and we both started laughing.

We sat there in silence for a minute. It was only seven so we had some time, it seemed like both of us had our excitement get to us as we were both ready early. I looked over at her, watching her sway to the music.

"What is this?" She asked me as she bobbed her head. "I don't understand the words, but it's so catchy it doesn't matter." She added.

"Polina Gagarina, Estharian pop music." I told her.

"Never would have pinned you for a pop guy."

"I listen to whatever, genre doesn't much matter to me. She sings in Aglano too you know." I told her.

"I like it this way though." She said as she leaned against me. "It..brings me closer to you, if that makes sense." She tried to explain as the song switched from a upbeat song to a ballad.

I smiled at her as I stuck another cigarette in my mouth, lighting it up with a match and I heard her inhale deep and sigh.

"I love the smell of matches." She said.

"Sulfur?"

"I guess. I love the smell."

We sat there like that, the silence overtaking us again. It wasn't an uncomfortable or awkward silence either. It was nice, just the two of us, sitting there and listening to the music. It seemed like forever before she looked at her phone.

"We should go. Hey, plug your phone in in the car. I wanna hear more of this Estharian pop." She told me.

"Really?" I questioned her.

"Yeah, it's really pretty. Especially the words. It always sounded so harsh when Seifer spoke it, and well, I haven't heard you speak yet. But, with her singing. It sounds beautiful." She said.

I nodded, as I stood up, then helped her to her feet and I got in the window first, holding my hands out so she could climb in. She thanked me silently and I grabbed everything I had needed. We headed down the stairs where we were greeted by non stop flashes.

"Mom! We're gonna be late!" Rinoa complained.

"I know, I know, it's my beautiful girls first date. So let me take my pictures." She said as she snapped one more. "Okay. You can go." She said.

"You two have fun tonight!" I heard my mom call out and I smiled.

"You guys have fun too." I told them.

With all the goodbyes and pictures taken care of we left the house. I walked over to Rinoa's car and opened the passenger side door for her. She smiled as she moved to get into the vehicle.

"Such a gentleman." She said, Once she was in I headed over to the drivers side after shutting the door and got into the car myself. I started the engine and handed her my phone to plug in. Soon, Polina was blasting through the speakers as I pulled out of the driveway and headed toward Galdin Quay.

When we arrived, Rinoa suggested I pull into the valet area, I did as she asked. The car door opened for me and I smiled at the guy, getting out and reaching for my wallet to tip the gentleman but Rinoa had gotten out of the car and was holding a bill out before I had the chance.

"Thank you, sir." She said as the worker in bright red took the note and the keys from me and got into the car. She wrapped her arm in mine and smiled as we walked into the restaurant.

"Try to pay for something again tonight and I will break your wrist, got it?" She threatened, the smile never once leaving her face. "Tonight is all about you relaxing, so deal with it."

"Yes, ma'am." I said to her and she squeezed my arm.

"Thank you."

Together we walked up to the hostess, the young blonde was smiling at us.

"Welcome to Galdin Quay!" She said happily. "Do you have a reservation? If not I'm afraid we are fully booked."

"I do, It's under Leonhart." Rinoa said and I looked over at her, she shrugged at me. "Caraway is too well known." She said.

"Ah, Leonhart, here it is. We have you out on the balcony. If you would just follow me, we will get you seated." The blonde said happily as she grabbed menus and walked us out onto the terrace, she sat us at our table and told us our waiter would be with us shortly.

I didn't open my menu, I looked out over the sea view we had. Rinoa was looking at her menu until she noticed that I hadn't opened mine yet.

"Is something wrong?" She asked me.

"No, not at all. Just, enjoying the view." I told her as I looked back at her. "All of the view." That end part, I meant Rinoa. She looked amazing.

"Have you been here before?" She asked me as the waiter came by to take down our drinks.

I ordered a water and Rinoa told the waiter to scratch that and ordered some very expensive sounding champagne. I looked at her and she smiled at me before the waiter left to fetch the order.

"No, I haven't been here.. And wine? Really?" I asked her.

"What? You've never drank before?" She asked me.

"I have."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Just-nevermind." I looked away, obviously nervous once again.

"You haven't even looked at the menu yet Squall, it took a lot of thinking and effort to get you here. So stop brooding and relax. Get whatever you want."

I hadn't really ever imagined my first date being in the only five star restaurant in Balamb, I always figured as a high school kid it would be in a pizza joint or something. I finally opened the menu and started looking, my eyes widened at the prices and I looked up to object before she walked over to me and placed a hand over that section of the page I was looking at.

"What looks good?" She asked as the waiter came back over. I shrugged and looked down at my lap.

"Fine then." She took the menu from me and went over to sit down as the waiter had finished pouring the champagne and put it in the bucket beside the table. "We'll take two of the White fish in tomato sauce." She said, handing the menus over.

"You just ordered for me." I said quietly.

"Well you were too busy budgeting prices to think about what you want. Squall, You've never been spoiled, have you?" She asked me.

"Well… no."

My father had never spoiled me, my mother did but that was different. She spoiled me more with physical affection. I was sickly as a child and thus I didn't go outside much. I spent all my time inside with my mother, which was probably the reason why we were so close.

"Squall…" She said. "Let me spoil you then."

"Why?"

"Because, after everything you've done for your mother. You deserve it." She said. "A lot of people wouldn't do what you do at your age. You've got a good head on your shoulders and it's time someone recognized how amazing you are."

"I'm not though…" I told her.

"You mean because you got addicted to tweak?" I hadn't expected her to ask me that. It made me look at the floor again, clearly ashamed. My eyes moved back up to the table, where I saw her hand extended against the red tablecloth and I reached out, placing my hand in hers and she held it.

"Squall. No one is perfect. You got addicted to drugs, yes, but that doesn't mean you are a horrible person or that you don't deserve anything good happening to you." She said. "It means you deserve it more." I was confused but she continued. "You are trying so hard to show everyone that you've changed, and that you are someone worth something, but you never needed to prove anything. You worth more than you could ever know. To your mom, to your friends. To me."

"Selphie would disagree." I told her.

"To hell with Selphie, she's being a bitch and she knows it. It's why she won't show her face around me. No doubt Quistis told her that we are come out tonight. She probably feels stupid because she knows I was right."

I was actually pretty shocked at what Rinoa was saying right now, I didn't think she would get mad over that type of stuff, especially since Selphie was her best friend. Or at least, I thought she was. At the same time, It was kind of nice. To have someone around more than willing to stick up for me. It took getting use to, that much was for sure.

"Let's talk about something else." She said to me and I nodded as I picked up the glass next to me. The champagne was good. It was a great choice.

"Are you doing okay?" She asked me.

"As well as can be expected." I nodded. "Tired mostly, I don't think I've had a full night's sleep in a while." I promised myself that I would try to open up to her and that was becoming easier and easier every second that I spent with her.

"Well, my mom is with Raine for the night, so try not to worry okay? Focus on relaxing and getting some rest. Sleep in tomorrow." She told me.

"I'll try to."

"Squall, you have help now. Everything will be okay." She reassured me.

My eyes searched the restaurant and I spotted Selphie and Irvine heading to a table close to ours. Selphie saw me too and she only glanced my way for a second before looking away and sitting down at the table.

"Do you want to go?" Rinoa asked me.

"Hell no, I'm enjoying this. I see no reason to let her ruin the mood." I said as I looked back to Rinoa, downing the rest of my drink.

"Well slow down there killer, don't get drunk." She said as she took the bottle and refilled my glass.

"I promise."

I wasn't planning on getting drunk anytime soon. I wanted to enjoy my night with Rinoa. I wasn't about to let Selphie ruin it.

Our food arrived sometime later. I looked over the dish in front of me and picked up my fook, eating a bite of it as neatly as I could while Rinoa's eyes looked over me, waiting for a reaction on the dish that she had chosen for me.

"It's delicious." I said to her as I took another bite. She smiled at me and began eating too.

"So, your father is General Caraway, right?" I asked her and she nodded.

"Yeah, we don't really get along. We all use to be super close when I was little, then he got the position as General and suddenly work started to come before everything else. Finally, it all came to a head six months ago when my mom and he got divorced and we moved here to Balamb. What about your father? Laguna Liore right? The president of Esthar?"

"Kind of the same situation, except I was never close with him. He tries but, he's just too much for me." I told her. "I'm more like my mother in terms of personality. Me and my dad clash, like a lot."

"But, you went to Esthar to live with him right?"

"Yeah, but I didn't have a choice. I was using pretty heavily and my mom didn't know what else to do. She thought getting me away from it was the first step. Moving me to Esthar where I really didn't know anyone."

"How did you get along with your father for those three years?"

"We didn't. I avoided him, unless I had to be in a room with him. Although, he was never really mad that I was hooked on Tweak." I explained. "He was just so happy that I was there living with him, I think he would have killed over if I hadn't decided to move back."

"And you moved back because your mom got sick?"

"Yeah." I took another bite, it was kind of nice that she was leading the conversation. Lord knows I was horrible when it came to small talk.

"Wait.. Your father wasn't mad?" She asked.

"I think he blamed himself. You know, he was the president of a country and here I was, his drug addicted son. I think he just figured that he didn't do something like he was supposed to or he responded the wrong way, which he did but…" I took a breath, I hadn't talked this much in a long time. "He was never there. When mom and me moved to Balamb, it was like he dropped off the face of the earth. He was basically a check every month and a phone call here or there."

"Yeah, my dad is like that too."

"Dads are the worst huh?" I teased and she nodded, laughing probably a little too loud for what I had said, but I realized soon after what she was doing.

Selphie was glaring daggers at us and she was making it look like we were having an amazing time. I never really thought that Rinoa had a petty streak in her. It was actually kind of adorable.

"Hold my hand." She said, placing her arm out on the table. I took her fingers in mine as we continued to eat. She looked into my eyes and I stared back into those chocolate brown eyes that seemed to fit her oh so well.

"Are we trying to make her jealous?" I asked in a low voice, as if I was telling her some deep rooted secret. "I think that only works if she has a crush on one of us."

"Are you saying Selphie is secretly a lesbian?" She joked and I busted out laughing.

"She's dating Irvine, so you never know. Guy really needs to cut his hair." I countered back, which made her burst into laughter.

We both looked out onto the dancefloor, couples were dancing to the slow beat being played by the band. I looked back at her, then over at Selphie, who was saying something to Irvine, who just kept shaking his head. That gave me an idea. I stood up and walked around to her chair, Rinoa looked at me confused as I held a hand out to her.

"Dance with me?" I asked.

"Do you know how?"

"...Kinda."

She smiled and moved her napkin, standing up. "I would love to dance." She said, clearly loud enough for Selphie to hear.

We walked hand in hand to the dance floor and I pulled her against me, my arms around her waist and her arms around my neck as we moved to the music.

"Who knew we could have the funnest time just trying to piss someone off?" She said. "This is not how I saw the night going."

I smiled at her, leaning in to kiss her lips. "That make it better?" I asked her.

"Mmm… much." She said.

Later that night, we sat on the same hammock where we shared our first kiss, a beer in each of our hands, that Rinoa had no doubt stolen from her mother, and we laughed about stupid things we had done as children.

"A backflip?!" She said, laughter masking the words a little.

"Out of a tree, I would have landed it too… if my mom hadn't come out screaming for me to get out of the damn tree."

"Oh, so dangerous. You're like James Bond!" She teased me and I smiled.

"Like you can do a backflip." I said.

"Oh yeah?" She stood up and handed me her beer before sliding off her shoes. She went over into the large grassy area and right before my eyes did a backflip in that beautiful dress.

I looked at her. "I stand corrected."

"Four years of cheerleading." She said. "I can do side flips and cartwheels too." She said

I made an impressed face. "Move over James Bond, Rinoa Heartilly is taking over."

She smiled and came to sit back next to me. Her head leaning on my shoulder and her arms wrapped around one of mine. We sat there in silence for a little while. It wasn't uncomfortable though, there was something. Nice about it.

"Okay!" She said after a while as she stood. "I'm gonna go get changed and then! Hot Tub Adventure Time!" She said with a giggle.

I smiled at her and walked in behind her, after finishing my cigarette. My bag was sitting on the sofa so I rooted through it until I found my swimsuit. I went to the downstairs bathroom and I changed. As I was emerging, Rinoa walked by me, I looked over the powder blue one piece she was wearing. Sure, she had the body for a two piece, but in what she was wearing now. She looked amazing.

"Ummm, what's with the get up? We're not going scuba diving, or surfing." She laughed a little and pointed at the top I was wearing.

"I don't like being shirtless, it's a thing." I played off. There were other reasons why I didn't want to take my shirt off, especially around Rinoa, but I just couldn't tell her that.

"Afraid I'll see your tracks?" She asked. "I know you injected."

I sighed and smiled a little. "Your mom seems to have told you a lot more than I'm comfortable with you knowing." I told her. "But no, I stopped using three years ago. They've faded for the most part. I just never liked not having a shirt on."

The last part I told her was kind of a lie. I would walk around shirtless at my own house but outside of it. I just didn't like people seeing me that vulnerable. That, and the scars on my wrist from the depression that set on with me not using. The fact that I took my stress out on myself. It was something I was ashamed for most people seeing.

"Okay, Okay, I won't push. You'll tell me when you're ready." I should have known Rinoa would see right through my lie. But It was okay. She wasn't pushing for it, so I guess I could let her be for now on. Try not to let all of it get to me.

She giggled and took a hold of my hand and we ventured back out into the backyard. I hoped her get the cover off of the hot tub. I held my hand out to her and she smiled. Taking a hold of it and I helped her into the hot tub. "Such a gentlemen." She replied for what seemed like the thousandth time tonight as I climbed in after her. Letting myself settle in.

She smiled and moved over to me. Crawling into my lap and putting her arms around my shoulders. My arms looked around her waist. As if to keep her in place.

"This is nice." She said as she kissed my lips.

I made a sound of approval against her lips. It was a nice night. I didn't get nights like this very often. To which I actually got to relax. She smiled at me and I returned it.

"Your face must hurt from all the smiling." She teased.

"Maybe a little." I told her.

I don't really know how long we sat in the hot tub for. But eventually. We made our way up to her room. She opened her window and we both climbed out onto the roof.

"My mom said no smoking in the house. So I got this idea from you. Besides. It's nice up here." She told me as I lit a cigarette.

"I smoke in my room occasionally. But not a lot." I told her.

"You gonna sleep in bed with me? Or are you going to sack it on the sofa?" She asked.

"Do you promise to keep your hands to yourself?" I asked.

"Not in the least." She replied back.

"Then I guess I'll take my chances."

And for the first time that night. I completely relaxed. I didn't feel like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. And I liked it.

A Note From Ayu: So, here it is! A new chapter of the story. My computer went down and that's why I haven't posted. I have been trying to do it on my phone. Using google docs. But it's difficult. So please. Don't be too harsh on grammar and spelling. This screen is hard to type on. This is my dedication guys! I typed this whole chapter on an IPhone X. Which I got for Christmas and loved. Anyways. Review and follow and love me forever even though I am a shitty writer.

Elendyr: I am so sorry I haven't updated! Thanks so much for your review! I promise I'm gonna try. I don't have a comp right now. So it might be slow going. I do have a few more evil things to do to Squall in the coming chapters. But, they will be softened with Rinoa there. Thanks so much for being such a loyal fan.

Aj 173682: WOW! Thank you so much for what you said! I don't think I'm the best but it means so much to me that you think so! I will try to update more. I promise! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.

Kristin: I hope I spelled that right. Thank you so much for reading. I promise I'm gonna try to update more in the future.

Thank you everyone! Until next time! Ayu out!


	6. Rinoa: Fighter

**Disclaimer:** After forever, I have updated a new chapter! I'm still having issues with ATG, but, Hopefully I will be able to get back to that one soon. I don't own FFVIII, If I did, I wouldn't need to write these fanfictions.

 **Trigger Warning** : There are mentions of cutting in this chapter. If you are triggered by these things, please skip this chapter. Thanks guys!

* * *

The sunlight was in my eyes and I didn't like it, I groaned and rolled over, reaching out into my sleep for him. I was feeling very cold and I wanted nothing more than to snuggle up to my boyfriend and go back to sleep for a while. But, I couldn't find him. I finally opened my eyes and realized, I was in bed. Alone. I sat up and sighed, looking around the room. His bag was still here, which meant that he either left it, or he was still in the house. I climbed out of bed and quickly brushed my hair, put it up and slipped on some pants.

As I left the room and walked down the stairs, I realized how quiet it was with my mom not there. I couldn't hear the sound of daytime talk shows or talk radio. As I reached the bottom I glanced outside and a smile came to my face. Squall was outside, laying on a towel, his phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He had his swim trunks on and no shirt. He had probably woken up early and decided to take a swim in the pool.

I went back upstairs and changed into one of my other bathing suits. A small powder blue bikini and I walked outside with a towel. When he noticed me, he smiled and sat up. "Morning." His voice made me melt.

"Good morning babe." I said as I sat the towel down on the lounger next to him. "Morning swim?" I asked and he nodded.

"Well, since I didn't go jogging this morning, I figured this would be a good workout." He took a sip of the water bottle beside him.

"So you'll wear a shirt in the hot tub, but not the pool?" I had to ask, although, I could see his skin and god, did he look sexy.

"Something like that." He said as he got back up, The way he said it though. I could feel like he was cutting the conversation short.

I watched him as he dived into the pool, doing a few laps before stopping at the wall closest to me. I smiled and stood, moving to sit beside him, My legs dangling over the side, making small waves in the water. He smiled and pushed himself off the wall and over to me, settling in between my legs.

"Seriously." I said, trying to continue the conversation. "What is with that?"

"Rin, Seriously? I don't want to talk about it. Can't we just have a nice morning together?" He asked.

"Not until you tell me." I told him.

"You're going to keep pushing this aren't you?" He asked as he moved beside me and hoisted himself up out of the pool, grabbing the towel from the longer.

"That's what you do when you care about someone, I can tell you're hiding something." I said back.

He sighed and turned around. "We've been together for less than two days. Don't pretend you know _anything_ about me." He said as he picked up his stuff and started to head inside.

"Squall!" I jumped up and chased after him. "Where are you going?"

"To get changed, I should get home and check on my mom." He said as he kept walking to the bedroom, he grabbed his stuff from his bag and marched into my bathroom shutting the door.

"So, because I brought up something that you're uncomfortable talking about, you're just going to leave?" I asked him as I leaned against the door.

"I told you, I don't want to talk about it. Fucking drop it already." He was starting to get aggravated. His voice was still calm but I could tell.

"I'm not going 'fucking drop it already'." I said back with as much determination. The door opened a second later and I stepped back.

He was fully dressed, in a long sleeve black shirt and dark khaki cargo pants. I would have said he looked hot, if we weren't currently in the middle of fighting.

"Just because we're dating, doesn't mean I can't have some secrets." He said as he started stuffing things in his duffle, he looked so hot, his hair all wet and clinging to his face.

"Part of dating is about being open about your secrets. I mean, I know you did drugs, what could be worse than that?" I asked him, trying to get him to calm down.

"A lot." He said back as he put his bag over his shoulder. "There's still a lot you don't know Rinoa. And it would be wise not to pester me about them."

"What are you gonna do?"

He said. "This, Us, it will end before it starts." He said as he walked by me and out my bedroom door.

I couldn't even go after him. What he said, it just. It was like a jab in the gut. Was I being too pushy?

"Squ-" I started to call to him but I was cut off by the front door slamming and I sighed, moving to look out the window as he put his helmet on and got onto his bike. A few moments later. He was gone and I sat on the bed, the tears coming from my eyes.

"Did I just get dumped?" I asked myself. "You're so stupid, why did you have to push so hard?" I sighed and wiped at my eyes, looking over at my nightstand. I got up and walked over, picking up the necklace that was there. It was a lion. At least I had an excuse to see him again. I had to give this necklace back.

* * *

I decided it would be best to give Squall his space. So even though I saw him at the cafe when I went, I didn't speak to him. I wasn't sure where our relationship was. Or even if we had one anymore. Finally, at school on that next Monday. I decided to at least give him back his necklace. I was holding onto it in hopes that he would call and we could talk things out, but he was being stubborn.

When I found him, he was in the quad with Seifer, they were both smoking. Since it was a private school, they had special areas designated for it. I thought it was strange at first but I was use to it.

"Hey guys." I said, trying not to sound too depressed. But, It seemed as though that didn't work. They both looked up at me.

"Hey Rin, What's up?" Seifer said in his usual cheery, somewhat intimidating self.

"Not much." I looked to Squall, he just looked away and continued smoking his cigarette.

"Umm.." I continued. "Squall, you left this at my place. Here." I held the necklace out to him.

"Thanks." He said it nicely as he took the necklace from my hand. "I wondered where I had left it."

"I'm sorry. For last week." I told him. "I'll see you guys around." I turned to leave, as I started walking away I heard a voice from behind me.

"Rinoa!"

I turned and it was Squall. He came up close to me and I had to admit, him being that close. I missed that smell, the mix of cigarette smoke and cologne. It made me want to jump in his arms and cry.

I didn't have to though, he leaned in and pecked my lips softly. "Meet me at my hiding place? At lunch? So we can talk. Please.." He said in a whisper and I nodded.

"Thank you. I'll see you later." And with that he was off.

I sighed and turned around, smiling a little. He wanted to talk, so that was good. Or was it? Could he be dumping me? Or working out our little fight. It was going to bug me until I saw him and lunch was going to be a long time from now.

I walked into class and took my seat. Seifer walked in behind me and sat next to me.

"Okay, spill it." I looked up when I heard his voice. Quistis was sitting right next to him and they both looked concerned.

"Spill...What?" I asked.

"What happened between you two?" Seifer replied.

"I assume Squall would have told you." I said and he shook his head.

"Nah, he hasn't said shit. But I could tell he's having it rough lately. But, he's never been one to say how he's feeling or what happened so I thought I would come to you."

"We, had a fight." I told him. "I, I pushed him too hard to let me in and he did what anyone would expect him to…"

"He ran." Seifer finished and I nodded, which only got a sigh from him.

"Look, you back Squall into a corner and he'll run. It's the way he's always been." Seifer added.

"I pushed too hard and I feel like hell as it is over it." I told him. "He wants to see me at lunch, probably to end it."

"I don't think so." Quistis piped in.

"Me either." Seifer agreed.

"If he wanted to end it, he would cut you off and not speak to you. The fact that he kissed you. It means that he's got something to tell you, I'm pretty sure he wants to work this out as much as you do." Seifer finished.

"Just see him at lunch and see what he has to say. Maybe you'll be surprised." Quistis said.

I nodded. "I was going to anyways. I've been going out of my mind for over a week trying to figure out where we are at. I just want an answer." I told them.

"I gotta get to class, but Rin, Good luck." Seifer placed his hand on top of mine and stood up, giving me a smile before he walked out of the classroom.

The time drug by until the lunch bell finally rang and I rushed to the bleachers, where Squall and I had first spoken. I walked around, almost expecting not to see him, but there he was. Sitting there on a blanket, playing some kind of game on his phone.

"Hey." I said as I sat next to him.

He glanced over and closed the application on his phone before setting it down.

"Hey, thanks for coming." He told me.

"Squall, before you speak. I'm." I could feel the tears and I didn't fight them back as they fell. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you so much. You're right, I don't know anything about you and You have every right to have secrets. I just-"

"Rin.." He cut me off and pulled up his sleeves, showing me his wrists, and what I saw, caused me to gasp.

They were littered with cuts. Some years old. And some that look like they were done in the last few days. That was confirmed when I reached over and ran my fingers over them and he flinched.

"This is my new addiction." He said quietly. "You trade one thing for another and this was what I started doing. When I quit using…" He sighed. "I felt like I was going to do die. The withdraws. They were bad. I couldn't use, so this was how I got my mind off of it. Then, it just became my way of coping…" He sighed. "That's why I wear a shirt in the pool when you're around. I didn't want you to see them."

I looked up at him, I took hold of his hands, Leaning over and placing kisses on top of all of the scars. Then, I looked up into his eyes and pulled his head to mine, kissing him softly.

"Baby… It's okay." I told him. "It's alright. I understand." I hated that he did that to himself, but I also didn't want to push him.

"I hate myself." He said as he lit a cigarette. "At least, when I was high, I didn't care. But, I can't even look in the mirror, Without hating who I am." He said.

I scooted next to him. "Squall, Everyone has insecurities. I hate that this is the way you deal with it. But, It's only because I care for you and I want to help you." I told him. That was the honest truth. I wanted to help him. I just didn't know how.

"You do. You help more than you realize." He said quietly.

"So, you're not breaking up with me?" I asked.

He smiled and shook his head. "No. I wouldn't have to begin with." He said.

"Noone is perfect Squall, and I'm not asking you to be. I'll try not to be so pushy in the future. If you try to open up a little more. I just want to know what's going on in your head." I told him.

He smiled and nodded. "I'll try. It's not the easiest thing for me." He told me.

"I know."

I had to smile, at least I didn't lose him. That was all I cared about, I could figure out the other things later. Right now, I was just happy. I leaned my head onto his shoulder and felt his arm go around me. He was all I ever needed. Granted, I wanted my friendship, especially with Selfie to remain intact, but, Squall was so important to me already. It really did make me believe in love at first sight.

"Come over tonight." He said after a few minutes of silence. "Please? I miss you."

I smiled, leaning up to give him a soft kiss. "I wouldn't be anywhere else." I whispered against his lips.

Squall walked me to class after lunch, after another kiss by the door we parted ways and instantly, I missed him, even thought I could still see him walking down the hallway toward his class. After a moment I went into the room sitting down next to Selphie. I was surprised when she tapped my shoulder. I looked over at her, giving her a smile.

"Hey." She said softly, as if testing the waters.

"Hey." I told her back.

"If I said I was sorry, would you accept it?" She asked hesitantly. "I, I overreacted and I was a bad friend, you're right. I shouldn't have acted like that."

"Selph." I started. "I don't think it was you being a bad friend. I think, you were trying to protect me, but you don't need to. Squall isn't the same person he was three years ago. I think, you need to accept that for yourself. And…" I sighed. "And I care about him. He needs me."

"I know. I'm trying." Selphie said. "I miss his friendship. It wasn't much, but, because Squall didn't trust many people. It made you feel that much more special when he was one of your friends."

"Then you should try actually talking to him." I told her.

"After that? He won't speak to me." Selphie replied.

"You would be surprised. I think that he would. And, honestly? The best way to show you're a true friend is if you try." I told her.

"I think I will. Just have to work up the courage first." She said with a small laugh. "I kind of put my foot in my mouth there."

I nodded, at least me and Selphie were on good terms now. I didn't know how long that was going to last, but I could hope. She was the first friend I made in Balamb after all, So, I couldn't shun her that easily. Although, I knew Squall would take some convincing to hear Selphie out, it was a good thing that I knew how to talk to him.

* * *

I packed a bag that evening, I wasn't planning on coming home. I wanted to spend all the time I could with Squall. I didn't mention it when I saw him that morning but he was starting to look rough. He needed some rest. Even if I could help a little. It might make things a bit better on him. As I was walking downstairs I stopped to see my mother in the kitchen.

"Okay, If you need me, I'll be at Squall's." I told her. "He's looking exhausted, I'm gonna try to convince him to let me help so he can get some rest."

"Okay dear, make sure he minds his own health. We don't want to have to take care of him and Raine." She teased as I kissed her on the cheek.

Once in the car it only took about ten minutes to get from my house to his. When I got out I smiled and walked to the door. Knocking on it. A few moments later it opened and I saw my boyfriend.

"Hey you." He said. "Come in." He held the door open and I walked in. I looked around for Raine which he must have noticed.

"Mom's in bed." He told her. "She goes to bed pretty early most nights." It was only about eight. So it was early. "The medication wears her out." He finished as he shut the door behind me. We both walked into the living room and he went back to the kitchen so I followed. He was cleaning up.

"Want some help?" I asked as I came up next to him. He smiled and handed me a plate, I picked up a rag and started drying them. Most of cleaning was in silence, save for Squall telling me where to put things and although it was quiet. It wasn't an awkward quiet, It was the good kind. The kind that I missed so much. I honestly just missed being next to him. That week that we were apart felt like years. I could already say it to myself. Not to him. But in my head.

I was madly in love with Squall Leonhart.

Once we finished he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Want one?" He asked and I nodded. He poured me a cup and gave me cream and sugar to fix it.

"I missed you, so much." I told him as I took a sip. "It felt like we were apart so long. Isn't that silly?"

"Not at all." He said. "I felt the same way. I-I couldn't sleep." He confessed.

"No wonder you look like death." I was only teasing out loud, but he did look tired. "You gonna actually sleep tonight?" I asked him and he smiled.

"Only if you're next to me." That sentence made me smile.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else." I repeated the sentence I had told him at lunch and it was the truth, I didn't want to be anywhere else other than with him. I was like any other girl in love. My entire world revolved around the man in front of me.

He moved around me and wrapped his arms around my waist and I melted in his arms as he kissed my neck softly. I was worried about moving to fast for him, I was letting Squall set the pace and it seemed like he wanted to move at the same pace as me. Which made me happy.

"Do you have homework?" I teased him and he groaned.

"Really? Homework?" He said. "Way to ruin the mood. But no, I did it already." He finished and I laughed at him.

"Well, I would have had to tell you no kisses until it was done." I said back, still laughing.

"Did you do yours?" He retorted back which only made me laugh harder.

"Mostly." I finally answered. "There is a math question I can't figure out. I was gonna ask about it tomorrow."

"Let me see." He told me.

I shrugged and went to my bag, pulling out the paper and handing it to him. He went and sat at the table and I joined him. He looked over it for what seemed like less than thirty seconds and he put it down, pointing at it.

"Okay, here's where you went dumb." He told me and I looked at him.

"Excuse me?!"

He looked up at me. "This is where you went dumb. You have the work right up until here." He took a pencil and a blank piece of paper and step by step he explained it to me. When he was finished, it made perfect sense.

"Wow, you're really smart Squall." I told him. I was actually impressed.

"Gifted is the term." He said. "My IQ is one forty nine." He shrugged. "I just didn't care about school when I was getting high. So people often think I'm stupider than I am."

"One forty nine is like genius level…." I said.

"I prefer gifted. Genius puts too much responsibility on you, makes people notice you when you would rather be invisible." He said back as he took a sip of his coffee.

He took a moment to check over the rest of my work and he shrugged. "You're not so bad yourself. Most of this is right. Except these three. You have the right concept but you seem to forget how to math halfway through the work." He walked me through the three that were wrong and when we were done I put the paper in my backpack.

"Smart and handsome. I bagged myself a keeper." I teased him and he looked away. I knew that my boyfriend was insecure with compliments. But, I reached forward and turned his head back to face me. When he was looking at me, I leaned in and kissed him. He kissed me back and it was magic, everytime I kissed him. It was like fireworks in my heart.

"Wanna come up to my room?" He asked and I nodded. I hadn't really looked around it, so I'll admit, I was curious.

We both went up to his room and I marveled. It was clean, that much I expected. I had learned by now that my boyfriend was a bit of a neat freak. He had even taken to straightening up my room. I wasn't messy by any means. But he would often pick up the clothes on the floor. I remembered asking him about it and he told me he found cleaning relaxing, which always confused me. Who found cleaning relaxing?

There were CDs all around the room. Some on bookshelves, some next to a stereo and even some sitting on top of an organizer on his desk. It was clear to me, that Squall had a love of music, which I could understand. I walked over to the ones next to the stereo, which I assumed were the ones he listened to the most. I picked them up as he lit a cigarette and kicked back in his computer chair, feet up on the desk. He smiled at me, which I took as an affirmative that I could look around and learn what I could from his room.

I started going through the CDs and it was amazing. There were some from every corner of Eos. "This singer." I held the album up. "I didn't even know she sung in Anglo." I told him.

"Oh, she doesn't." He said. "I understand Trabian." He said.

"So you speak three languages?!" I don't know why I was shocked.

"Four." He replied back. "Five if you count dialects." He added

"Seriously? Anglo, Etharian, Triabian and?" I sat on the bed, curious that my boyfriend was actually opening up a little.

"Galbadian." He added and I smiled.

" _Oh? Is that so?_ " I asked him in Galbadian, growing up in Deling City I, of course spoke that one.

" _Do we have a secret language now?_ " He replied back and I smiled.

"Hell yes we do!" I was so excited that someone else spoke it. I continued going through the CDs when I stopped on one It was a Galbadian singer that I loved, but, the album in my hands was so old, I had never seen a physical copy of it.

"How do you have this?!" I asked as I opened the case and pulled out the booklet. "This album is like twenty years old. I looked everywhere for it in Deling and couldn't find it, especially not in this good of condition!"

Squall got up and walked over to me, looking at the one in my hand. "Oh, my dad actually had it, from when he was a soldier. He gave it to me." He took the case from my hand and looked at it for a second. Smiling and handing it to me. "Take it." He added.

"Squall, I. I couldn't." I stared and he shook his head.

"Take it. I have it on my phone and computer. It means a lot to you. Take it." He said back and I smiled.

"Thank you baby." I kissed him softly.

He took the cd from my hands and pulled me over, falling back into his chair and I was in his lap, never once breaking the kiss. In fact, I could feel him deepening it. His hands roaming my body and it felt good and the more he did it. The more I realized. I wanted him, in every way.

"Squall.." I whispered when he moved to my neck and he stopped.

"Should I stop?" He asked.

"Never." I kissed him, and that night. I slept with my boyfriend. In all sense of the word.

And it was the most amazing thing I had ever felt.

* * *

 **A Note from Ayu:** This chapter was so hard to get through, and I'm not sure why. I've had a hard time writing lately. I don't know if it's writer's block or exhaustion. I now have two jobs. So it makes writing a little harder. I'm going to try and get back into updating both fics regularly. I really want to finish them. But, this time, I honestly make no promises. Thanks everyone for reading, please review! And I'll see you guys in the next one!


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